"The government of Spain is facing mounting pressure from its people and wants an end to this hostage crisis very quickly," the source told Reuters.

"But the situation on the ground is tough. It may take two to three weeks to secure the freedom of its nationals."

The source spoke after a meeting between the Spanish envoy to Kenya and Somalian Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke in the Kenyan capital. A second meeting would be held Monday to craft a strategy for freeing the hostages, the source added.

A pirate who identified himself as Mohamed said three Spanish sailors were still being held ashore in Somalia after being taken there from their tuna fishing vessel, the Alakrana, where the rest of the crew remain. The ship is moored off the pirates' enclave of Haradheere.

The pirate said the three would be returned to the craft only when two alleged pirates being held in Spain were freed.

Madrid should negotiate directly with the pirates, rather than trying to deal with the Somali government, he told Reuters by phone from the Alakrana which remains under pirate control.

"No one has been returned to the ship," said Mohamed.

The pirates said the three sailors were taken ashore to reassure the families of the prisoners held in Spain.

"It will ease the grief of the parents. We shall deal with them they way Spain deals with our colleagues," Mohamed said.

"DEAL WITH US," SAY PIRATES

In Madrid, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratino said he believed the entire crew of 36 was on the Alakrana. "All our reliable sources, our (intelligence) services tell us that they are all on board," he told a news conference.

The Spanish navy captured two Somalis in the Indian Ocean shortly after pirates seized the Alakrana on October 2. The suspects are set to face trial in Spain on kidnapping and other charges.

Moratino said Spain was directing its diplomatic efforts at authorities in Mogadishu. "The Somali government has to guarantee the security and integrity of all the crew," he said. "With this greater diplomatic effort, we think we can get results quicker."

But Mohamed said Madrid had to deal with the pirates, not Sharmarke, whose government controls little of its lawless country.

"This has nothing to do with Sharmarke, it concerns parents and missing sons," Abdulahi Abdisalan, an uncle of one of the pirates held in Spain, told Reuters.

"Even if a ransom is paid, whatever amount, we will not release (the hostages) unless we get our sons back to Haradheere."