Hostages' countries accused of interfering

British, Australian, and French governments for ''complicating'' efforts

to free three Western hostages being held by Khmer Rouge guerrillas in

southern Kampot province.

''The hostages said please, please, please pay the ransom. Your

governments said no, no, no. I'm very upset. I'm very fed up,'' he told

reporters after arriving home from a five-day official trip to Malaysia.

Mr Ranariddh described as ''illogical'' the course of action advocated

by the foreign governments to free the three captives.

He said the governments would not endorse paying a ransom, but were

also opposed to military action to pressure the Khmer Rouge captors.

Asked about prospects for their release, Mr Ranariddh replied: ''We

were in the process of releasing them, but now, too many cooks spoil the

cuisine.''

Mark Slater, 28, from Northamptonshire; Jean-Michel Braquet, 27, from

Roquebrun Cap Martin in France; and David Wilson, 29, from Melbourne,

Australia, were taken hostage on July 26 after a bloody Khmer Rouge

train ambush southern Kampot province in which 13 people died.

The backpackers were heading for the southern coastal resort of

Sihanoukville.

They are being held along with 13 Vietnamese and Cambodians at a Khmer

Rouge stronghold called Vine Mountain, 93 miles from Phnom Penh.

Shortly after their capture, a message was received from the Khmer

Rouge seeking a ransom payment of #100,000 for the release of the three.

However, the Foreign Office says it is British policy never to pay a

ransom and to negotiate only with the government involved.

''We are in close touch with the Cambodian Government and have spoken

to our embassy, but there are no fresh developments,'' said a spokesman.

Friday's hopes that one of the hostages might be freed appear to be

fading after a two-way radio communication between the Sunday Times and

the hostages, widely monitored by Cambodians and non-government

organisations.

Mr Slater pleaded for the Government to negotiate directly with Khmer

Rouge leader Khieu Samphan: ''The French, English, and Australian

governments must contact him for our release.''

Mr Wilson, the Australian, said morale among the three was

deteriorating and that continuing army shelling was putting their lives

at risk.

''Our spirits are getting worse by the day, to be honest,'' he said,

adding: ''Our health isn't too good. The three of us have fevers coming

and going -- on and off''.

He added: ''Tell our ambassadors to go straight to Samphan -- bypass

the (Cambodian) Government.

''I just hope the (negotiating) pressure is enough for the Australian

Government to take over proceedings or for a bit more of a push in this

because the Cambodian Government, I feel, does not want us to live.''

He repeated an earlier request for the Cambodian Government to stop

all military action.

''To get us free -- to save our lives -- the bombing must stop now,''

he said.--Reuter.