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AT THE REQUEST of the German government, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi sent former Libyan Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Rajab Azzarouq to negotiate the release of the Abu Sayyaf hostages in Jolo, the Agence France Presse (AFP) reported yesterday.

The report contradicts to government assertions that Azzarouq is helping to resolve the 18-day-old hostage crisis ''in his own personal capacity'' and not as an official envoy of his government or the 52-country Organization of Islamic Conference.

The AFP quoting the German newspaper Die Welt reported that former Chancellor Helmut Kohl's secret services coordinator telephoned Gadhafi last week on behalf of the German government for help to free the hostages, among whom are three German nationals.

According to the report, the ex-secret services coordinator, Bernd Schmidbauer, contacted Gadhafi, who called back an hour later to say that the ''Gadhafi International Charity Organization,'' directed by his son, Saif al Islam al Gadhafi, was ready to act.

Within 24 hours, a Libyan delegation led by Azzarouq was on its way.

A special Libyan flight left Frankfurt airport Thursday for Manila, Die Welt said.

Azzarouq was said to know personally at least one of the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf.

In his baggage, the Libyan envoy took medicines for the sick German hostage Renate Wallert and a letter from her son in Goettingen, the report said.

''An airplane of the Libyan government is apparently standing by to fly Renate Wallert to a Manila hospital immediately after her release,'' Die Welt reported.

But acting Foreign Secretary Rora Navarro-Tolentino said yesterday she was not aware that the Libyan government or the OIC had officially appointed Azzarouq as negotiator.

The Philippines has insisted that the crisis was purely a domestic problem and rejected foreign offers of assistance.

''The former Libyan ambassador is doing that in his own personal capacity,'' Tolentino said.

''He said he was helping personally as a friend of the Philippines . . . We welcome all efforts of friends.''

She said Azzarouq offered to help ''because he has made many friends among the Abu Sayyaf'' while he was ambassador here from 1990 to 1999. He is considered among the longest serving ambassadors in the Philippines.

At the Palace, Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora echoed the line of the acting foreign secretary. He said Azzarouq had ''offered very generously his personal intervention in this issue.''

''I think he will be successful, at least, in establishing personal contact (with the kidnappers). Beyond that, he did not specify what he will accomplish,'' he said.

Zamora said the Philippine government had asked Azzarouq to do ''a number of small things.''

''Not so small that you can ignore them completely, but not so big that they involve the release of all the hostages,'' he said.

Azzarouq, who arrived in Jolo Tuesday afternoon, was part of the six-nation OIC panel that brokered the historic 1996 peace pact between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front.

During his tenure here, he was credited with the release of several foreign missionaries held by the Abu Sayyaf.

''It is a personal offer that he has made which is welcomed by the government because the former Libyan ambassador had been very helpful in obtaining the release of foreign hostages in the past from the Abu Sayyaf,'' Tolentino said.

''He has a known track record of being a very effective person to persuade them so it would not harm if he would do the same in this particular instance.''

Upon his arrival the other day, Azzarouq condemned the Abu Sayyaf's kidnapping of innocent civilians as ''un-Islamic.''

Told that some analysts have interpreted the arrival of Azzarouq and the European Union's top foreign policy and security adviser Javier Solana as proof that the Philippines badly needs help to end the hostage situation, Tolentino disagreed.

''We beg to disagree,'' said Tolentino, who was present during Solana's meeting with President Estrada at Malacañang the other day since Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. is on an official trip to China.

''Both of them carried messages that they are strongly supportive (of the Philippines' efforts) and we are in the right track. I would not want to see it as an indication that they do not have full confidence in the way (the Philippines is handling the situation) and as friends they can always help in the situation,'' she said.

During the meeting, Solana reportedly conveyed the EU's concern for the safety of the hostages and trust that the Philippine government would pursue a ''peaceful negotiated solution'' to the situation.

Solana said the European community would readily extend whatever assistance asked by the Philippine government.

Tolentino said Solana did not specify the kind of assistance, but particularly mentioned ''humanitarian'' aid to the sick hostages.

''He was very satisfied with the approach taken by the Philippine government that primarily it is the safety of the hostages that is paramount. There is no indication at all that the EU has reservations about the way the Philippine government is handling this hostage situation,'' Tolentino said.

Solana reportedly also assured Mr. Estrada that the EU's official development assistance to Mindanao would not be affected by the Abu Sayyaf's actions. The EU is the biggest ODA donor in the region.

Even as Azzarouq now appears to be the government's chief negotiator, Zamora asserted that Nur Misuari's role would remain as the government's chief negotiator.

Zamora said Misuari would not be ''undercut'' by the efforts being undertaken by the government in broadening the number of emissaries to the Abu Sayyaf, including Azzarouq and two Muslim scholars, who would ''personally intervene.''

But the other ''negotiators'' would give information directly to the Cabinet Cluster E, which will then relay the information to the President. The flow of information would be more direct and would not necessarily pass through Misuari.

Zamora admitted that things have started to move fast since the arrival of Solana and Azzarouq.

But he stressed that the convergence of actions on the matter that might result in a breakthrough in the hostage crisis was just a ''coincidence.''

''There is nothing more than that. What is important is that finally after two weeks, the things that we have been doing are now starting to bear fruit. Hopefully, in the next few days, there will be a number of breakthroughs, especially in regard to condition of the German woman who needs medical attention. There is the possibility of securing her freedom,'' Zamora said.

While Zamora earlier claimed that the EU high official would be relaying expert advice on the matter and the ''desires'' of the 15 countries of the EU, Solana said he did not come here to give advice. Neither will he negotiate.

In fact, he was quite sensitive when asked what advice he gave to Mr. Estrada in handling the crisis. He cut off the reporter's question and said in an impatient tone, ''Can I answer that question? I didn't come here to give advice to the President of your country. Second question.''

Asked about the concerns which the EU wanted to relay to the President, he said: ''Let me once again repeat, I came here for the diplomatic and humanitarian mission and that's what we are trying to do. We're working on that line. We continue to work on those lines,'' he said in a press briefing at around 5 p.m. Tuesday in Malacañang.

Solana said he was ''pleased'' with the conversation he had with President Estrada. He said the EU would maintain an open line, as he would be continuing to have more discussions with the Philippine government about the hostage crisis.

Solana, along with German Ambassador Wolfgang Gottelmann, French Ambassador Gilles Chouraqui and Finn Ambassador Pertti Majanen, discussed the matter with the President for about 40 minutes.

He said the EU had full trust in how the Philippine government was handling the situation.

''(I relay a) message of thanks on the way (President Estrada) handled this delicate and complicated situation,'' he said.

Solana said the EU was particularly concerned because the situation ''affects the citizens of the European Union.''

He said he had discussed with the President the possibility of channeling ''humanitarian aid'' to the hostages being held by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu.

He said that he was hopeful that the Philippine government would find a negotiated solution on the matter.

Solana, who had visited the country twice before this, said the EU only had ''profound respect'' in the Philippine government.

He said developments on the hostage crisis would not affect EU's bilateral ties with the country.

He said he was talking ''more openly'' with the Philippine government ''in a very constructive matter.''

''We are working together in a very constructive manner and we have only trust in the government of the Philippines,'' he said.