MARXIST guerrillas holding 103 hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima stood firm yesterday in defiance of growing international pressure for a solution to the crisis.
A stream of pleas from around the world was ignored as the heavily armed Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement rebels showed no sign of softening their conditions for releasing hostages.
In Japan, the government urged the world's strongest nations to join forces to end the crisis. The Foreign Minister, Mr Yukihiko Ikeda, said Japan had started talks with Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations to draft a common strategy to end the stand off.
"It is clear that the international community, should not condone terrorism. It is also necessary ... to act as one to help resolve this crisis by setting free all the hostages peacefully, and at an early date," Mr Ikeda said.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesman said G7 ambassadors had already met in Lima to discuss their next step.
The G7 moves follow Christmas pleas from around the world, including those of Pope John Paul and President Clinton, for the rebels to end their action. The guerrillas have freed three hostages since a mass release of 225 on Sunday, keeping those they consider most useful as bargaining chips, including two Peruvian ministers, Japanese businessmen, a handful of foreign diplomats and the brother of President Alberto Fujimori.
They are demanding the release of around 400 jailed comrades in Peru, followed by safe passage to an Amazon jungle stronghold.
Mr Fujimori has rejected their demand for prisoner releases. He also ignored pleas by hostages to reconnect electric and water services to the building. He has also rebuffed foreign offers of help, and President Yeltsin's suggestion to send a special G7 task force to free the hostages brought no official response from Lima.
Peruvian troops have drawn up a plan to storm the residence as a last resort, but police sources warn that another Tupac Amaru unit in Lima is ready to strike other targets if this happens.