But the failed insurance broker may be fed up with sleeping on the floor in Mr Chaudhry's office, or maybe his Westernised sensibilities have become offended by the human stench emanating from the parliamentary compound where his supporters have camped out since the coup.Whatever the reasons, an end to the agonisingly protracted crisis does appear to be in sight. The hostages' families, for whom the past month has been an almost interminable waiting game, were upbeat yesterday. The Fiji Red Cross, which has had near-daily access to the former politicians, was preparing for the daunting task of counselling them after release.The hostages are expected to be taken to a secluded place for medical treatment before being reunited with families. But well-meaning attempts to shield them from the limelight may not be successful.Mr Chaudhry - a notoriously tough and stubborn man who is believed to have stood up well to captivity - is expected to assert his claim to be the country's democratically elected leader as soon as he emerges from the compound.Three weeks ago, Fiji's first ethnic Indian prime minister and his government were dismissed by the former president, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to reduce their value as hostages. Ratu Mara then stood aside to allow the armed forces, led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama, to take over.

The accord, which was being finalised by lawyers for Mr Speight and the military last night, will include an amnesty for the coup leader and some associates. It will also stipulate they return arms and ammunition stolen from the military. Mr Speight, who claims to represent "downtrodden" indigenous Fijians, has apparently retreated from his demand to be given a role, preferably senior, in the interim administration.But he has been guaranteed a seat on a panel that will draft a new constitution. On Monday he said he would countenance the inclusion of a few Indians in a future government.

Yesterday he backtracked, saying: "Our very strong view, which is the reason why this whole coup happened, is that no non-Fijian should be included in lawmaking or the promulgation of a new constitution." Any deal will have to be ratified by the Great Council of Chiefs, Fiji's influential tribal leaders.Finally, freedom may be beckoning for the 27 men and four women locked under armed guard in two cramped rooms for nearly five weeks.. Yoshiro Mori, the Prime Minister of Japan, has managed to offend a lot of different people over the past few months. Yoshiro Mori, the Prime Minister of Japan, has managed to offend a lot of different people over the past few months. He has offended Buddhists, Christian and left-wingers with his claim that Japan is a divine Shinto nation centred on the Emperor. He has offended those infected by HIV with jokes about Aids, and he has offended the people of Okinawa in the south, by implying that they are all communists.But yesterday, four days before a testing general election, he managed to offend everyone by suggesting that, rather than turning out to vote, Japanese citizens should stay in bed and sleep through the whole thing."They say some 40 per cent of the voters are still undecided," Mr Mori said, while talking to reporters yesterday. "Those people who aren't interested should just stay in bed."He quickly issued a "clarification": what he had meant to say was that "voters should carefully consider their choice" But the damage was done. "This is worse than the 'divine nation' remark in terms of denying democratic principles," said Yukio Hatoyama, leader of the opposition.