The Romanian presidency issued a statement Wednesday, saying that the Romanian authorities have asked the Iraqi militants holding three Romanian hostages to extend the deadline, the state news agency Rompres reported.

The militants, who snatched the three Romanian journalist on March 28, warned in a videotape on April 22 that they would kill the three unless Romania withdraws its troops from Iraq within four days.

On Tuesday, the group extended the deadline by 24 hours to expire at 14 GMT Wednesday.

The three Romanian hostages are TV reporter Marie Jeanne Ion, cameraman Sorin Miscoci of Prima TV and reporter Ovidiu Ohanesian from Romania Libera newspaper.

On Wednesday, about 2000 journalists and citizens gathered in downtown Bucharest, urging the government to withdraw its 800 troops from Iraq.

"Soldiers, you have no obligation to fight in the Middle East," protesters shouted. "Romanians are not invaders. Violence yields violence."

The statement also said the presidency has asked the Iraqi group of leading Sunni scholars, the Association of Muslim Scholars, to help free the Romanians.

The Sunni Muslim group, also known as the Muslim Ulema Council, had previously mediated in the release of hostages.