Italy on Tuesday urged Yemeni authorities not to use force in an Italian hostage stand-off in the Middle East country, according to Italian News Agency ANSA.

Amid reports of a troop build-up near the kidnappers' hide-out, Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini asked Italy's ambassador to get into immediate contact with the Yemeni authorities to make sure no action was taken that might place the hostages' lives in jeopardy.

Italian ambassador, Mario Boffo, reported back that the Yemeni government had no intention of forcing the kidnappers' hand.

Yemeni government envoys are flanking the tribal chiefs in efforts to free the Italians.

One envoy said Tuesday there had been "positive" developments in the talks.

The three women and two men were abducted on New Year's Day in the northern Marib province as they visited archaeological sights in Serwah, some 120 miles north of the capital Sana'a.

The kidnappers have threatened to kill their Italian hostages if they came under attack from the Yemeni military.

According to Yemen's prime minister, Abdel Qader Bajammal, national security forces have surrounded the kidnappers, who have been demanding the release of eight members of their tribe currently in jail for murder.

According to the tour operator which organised their holiday in Yemen, the hostages are Piergiorgio Gamba, Maura Tonetto and Camilla Romigni, from Padua, and Enzo Bottillo and Patrizia Rossi, from Milan.

(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2006)