(AFP) - Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar visited the Philippines on today to explore a deal over the fate of Nur Misuari, amid signs the captured Filipino Muslim rebel leader could soon be on a plane to Libya.

Neither Syed Hamid (photo) nor Filipino Foreign Secretary Teofisto Guingona commented after a meeting on whether a breakthrough had been achieved on the status of Misuari, who is being held in Malaysia.

But Kuala Lumpur now appears willing to consider Manila's proposal to send the 60-year-old former separatist guerrilla leader to a third country, possibly to Libya.

Misuari is in detention in Malaysia after entering the country illegally when a short-lived revolt by his supporters in the southern Philippine island of Jolo was put down last month.

Malaysia wants to return Misuari to the Philippines but President Gloria Arroyo is reluctant to accept him so soon and is considering letting him stay in a third country, possibly Libya, until January.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is closely monitoring the impasse and sent Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda to Manila to join the meeting.

'Win-win' solution

Guingona told a news conference without elaborating: "From these talks, we'll formulate the course of action that the Philippine government will take."

Syed Hamid said he reiterated Malaysia's position.

"That means he is a citizen of the Philippines, subject to Philippine law, and in accordance with our understanding, he will be deported accordingly," the minister said.

None of the ministers took any questions. Syed Hamid and Wirayuda both end their visits tomorrow.

Earlier in Kuala Lumpur, a senior official told AFP that the ministers were expected to work out a "win-win" solution to the Misuari case.

"This includes the possibility of Misuari being deported to a third country, maybe Libya," the official said.

"But the timing now is not right to deport Misuari to a third country. Manila will come under flak for not taking him back."

Arroyo is reluctant to bring Misuari back straight away for fear he could become a rallying point for discontented supporters in the mostly Muslim southern Philippines.

Malaysia has imposed a Monday deadline for Manila to make up its mind.

Backing for separatist struggle

Libya backed the struggle for a separate Islamic state in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic Philippines in the 1970s. Malaysia also provided sanctuary to MNLF rebels in the 1970s and 80s.

Tripoli, along with Saudi Arabia, had given Misuari refuge after an OIC-brokered ceasefire in 1976.

Wirayuda said Thursday's meeting was "part of our regular exercise in accordance with our mandate to monitor the 1996 peace agreement", under which Misuari ended his separatist campaign and settled for Muslim self-rule in parts of the south.

His followers rose up last month in protest at the holding of regional elections that replaced Misuari as governor of the autonomous zone.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reiterated Malaysia's determination to deport Misuari to the Philippines. But he said his government was prepared to consider Misuari's request for political asylum.

"We shall study it," he was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency, while vowing to deport any foreigners found engaged in terrorism.