On the Romania, Japan, Australia hostages in Iraq

The Romanian prime minister said that the three Romanian journalists who are kidnapped in Iraq since March are still alive and that Bucharest is negotiating for their release.

Meantime, the Japanese foreign minister appealed the kidnappers of his citizen to release him and provide necessary medical treatment for him.

The Japanese FM said in a statements via al-Jazeera TV that his country's decision to dispatch forces to Iraq aimed at helping the Iraqis to eliminate the conditions their country is witnessing.

On Friday the grace period given by the kidnappers of the Australian hostage Douglas Wood for the Australian government to withdraw its forces from Iraq was expired. The fate of Wood is not known yet.