Somalia sees end to Spanish hostage crisis in 3 weeks

By Mohamed Ahmed

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's government expects a settlement in about three weeks with pirates holding hostage 36 crew of a Spanish fishing vessel, a source close to the Somalian prime minister said Sunday.

"The government of Spain is facing mounting pressure from its people and wants an end to this hostage crisis very quickly," the source told Reuters.

"But the situation on the ground is tough. It may take two to three weeks to secure the freedom of its nationals."

The source spoke after a meeting between the Spanish envoy to Kenya and Somalian Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke in the Kenyan capital. A second meeting would be held Monday to craft a strategy for freeing the hostages, the source added.

A pirate who identified himself as Mohamed said three Spanish sailors were still being held ashore in Somalia after being taken there from their tuna fishing vessel, the Alakrana, where the rest of the crew remain. The ship is moored off the pirates' enclave of Haradheere.

The pirate said the three would be returned to the craft only when two alleged pirates being held in Spain were freed.

Madrid should negotiate directly with the pirates, rather than trying to deal with the Somali government, he told Reuters by phone from the Alakrana which remains under pirate control.

"No one has been returned to the ship," said Mohamed.