Rome, Sept 13, SPA -- Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini flew Monday to the Mideast in a bid to free two female aidworkers taken hostage in Iraq. Frattini's first stop is Kuwait, where he was scheduled tomeet with government and religious figures, the ForeignMinistry said. Authorities here have been working feverishly to win therelease of the women, weeks after an Italian freelancejournalist was abducted and slain in Iraq. Prime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi's government was sharply criticized athome for not doing enough to secure the slain journalist'srelease. In the latest kidnapping, armed militants stormed into theBaghdad office of the aid agency "Un Ponte Per..." (``ABridge To...") on Tuesday and grabbed the two Italianwomen as well as two Iraqis. "In the framework of the government's politicalinitiatives carried out to bring about the liberation ofthe hostages taken in Iraq, Foreign Minister FrancoFrattini will undertake a mission to the Gulf region in theupcoming hours," the ministry said in a statement Sundayevening. "Frattini will renew the appeals for solidarity and forrespect for the life of innocent civilians generouslyworking for the Iraqi people," the ministry said. The announcement came hours after an Internet statement _purportedly from a militant group _ that said the two womenwould be killed if Italy does not withdraw its troops fromIraq within 24 hours. Italy's government supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq andcontributed about 3,000 troops for reconstruction afterSaddam Hussein's ouster.--SPA1158 Local Time 0858 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/200975