June 18, 2000, Statesman (India) Sayyaf willing to hold talks,

June 18, 2000, Statesman (India) Sayyaf willing to hold talks,

JOLO, June 16. - The Abu Sayyaf group holding 21 Sipadan hostages have softened their stand.

In a surprise move, the Abu Sayyaf told the government owned Radyong Bayan radio station here that they were willing to talk to anybody who could solve this crisis that entered the 54th day yesterday.

"Anybody, it's okay," said Ghalib Andang a comm robot, one of the five key Abu Sayyaf leaders holding the hostages including nine Malaysians at their jungle hideouts in Talipao about 15 kms from here.

Formal talks for the release of the hostages came to a standstill since Saturday after the Abu Sayyaf demanded the removal of chief negotiator Mr Robert Aventajado which President Mr Joseph Estrada refused.

In a taped statement sent to the radio station yesterday, Andang said, the Abu Sayyaf leaders were still insisting that their two rejected political demands be kept in the agenda of talks.

The rejected demands were the setting up of an independent Islamic state in southern Philippines and the creation of a Sabah Commission to investigate alleged maltreatment of Filipino Muslims in the state.

Another Abu Sayyaf leader Mujib Susukan in the same taped statement said that they would give the Philippine negotiators two months to meet their demands before the gunmen stop talking to them (the government).

THE STAR, ASIA NEWS NETWORK