Bilbao/Madrid, Spain, April 25, 2008 - The Spanish government on Friday denied media reports that Somali pirates had demanded a ransom of one million euros (1.6 million dollars) for the release of the crew of a seized Spanish fishing vessel. Stating that negotiations for the release of the 26 Spanish and African fishermen on board the trawler Playa de Bakio were expected to last for several days, agriculture official Gonzalo Saenz de Samaniego said the parties had not yet discussed money.

Officials in Spain's northern Basque region where some of the hostages originate confirmed Friday that the owner of the vessel was conducting negotiations for their release.

Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said the government expected a "rapid and satisfactory solution" after it mobilized "all the resources," with an "intense diplomatic and operative activity" in the hostage drama.

Spain 's ambassador to Kenya has held talks with the Somali authorities in the capital Mogadishu, who gave their backing to attempts to release the fishermen.

The Spanish frigate Mendez Nunez arrived in the Horn of Africa, where a Spanish air force reconnaissance plane is also on alert in Djibouti.

The preparations for an eventual military rescue operation were aimed at pressuring the pirates into accepting a negotiated solution.

The Playa de Bakio was seized in international waters five days ago and taken to the Somali coast.

Saenz denied reports that the pirates had taken the vessel back to the open sea, saying it had been moored in the same place for two days.

Spain meanwhile formally asked the United Nations Security Council to take measures against piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Spain was working with France, the United States and Britain towards a UN resolution aimed at preventing incidents such as the seizure of the Playa de Bakio, the daily El Pais said.

Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)