BUCHAREST, March 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Romanian President Traian Basescu vowed on Tuesday to rescue three Romanian journalists kidnapped in Iraq Monday, the state news agency Rompres reported.

    The government is determined to protect the safety of Romanian nationals and is capable of fulfilling this pledge, Basescu said at an emergency meeting of intelligence and foreign affairs officials and presidential advisors.

    The meeting was held at the presidential residence to discuss a possible rescue of the journalists who sent desperate messages by mobile phone to relatives and colleagues before disappearing in suburban Baghdad Monday afternoon.

    Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu confirmed Tuesday the three were abducted while visiting the southern city of Pitesti, local television station Realitatea Romineasca reported.

    The Foreign Ministry said early Tuesday that the main intelligence services formed a crisis cell after being informed bythe Bucharest-based Prima TV of the possible kidnapping of its reporters.

    President Basescu also said earlier that "all the state structures have been put on alert and are determined to resolve this problem."

    Prima TV said its reporter Marie-Jeanne Ion, cameraman Sorin Dumitru Miscoci and reporter Ovidiu Ohanesian from the daily Romania Libera, were abducted in Baghdad on Monday.

    The kidnapping took place just after Basescu's Sunday visit to the 800 Romanian soldiers serving in Iraq, during which the president announced a reinforcement of 100 soldiers to country.

    No group has so far claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and no ransom has been demanded.

    More than 150 foreigners have been abducted in Iraq over the past year. Most were subsequently freed after negotiations or payment of ransom but about a third have been killed. Many more Iraqis have also been abducted, often for ransom. Enditem