Manila, Philippines ? A visiting U.S. State Department official has offered assurances that American troops will not undertake any covert operation to rescue an American missionary couple held for nine months by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf, a Philippine official said Sunday.

James Kelly, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also said the U.S. government will never pay ransom for the release of Martin and Gracia Burnham of Wichita, Kan., Philippine national security adviser Roilo Golez said.

Kelley met President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other officials during an unannounced overnight visit Friday to brief her on President George W. Bush’s trip to Japan, South Korea and China last week, Golez said. The meeting, was also attended by newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone.

Golez said he asked Kelley about a recent U.S. television report that American officials were considering a ransom payment to secure the Burnhams’ release. He also passed on concerns that U.S. troops conducting a counter-terrorism exercise in southern Zamboanga city and nearby Basilan island could launch a covert rescue operation.

Kelley reportedly replied that Washington would not allow either to happen and gave Golez a copy of a U.S. State Department policy forbidding ransom payments or any other concessions to hostage-takers.

The same policy does not allow U.S. officials to support any request for foreign governments to break their own laws or abdicate their law enforcement responsibilities to free kidnapped U.S. nationals, Golez said.

“If we have a no-ransom policy, if our law states that their law enforcement agencies could not enter to operate, those laws would be followed,” Golez said.

Kelley assured Arroyo there would be “absolutely no change” in the counterterrorism exercise involving 660 U.S. troops following the crash two days ago of an MH-47 Chinook helicopter with 10 crew aboard, presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.

The chopper crashed Friday after transporting the last batch of a 160-strong U.S. Special Forces contingent to Basilan.

The Burnhams and Filipino nurse Ediborah Yap are the last from more than 100 hostages taken by the Abu Sayyaf since last May. Some have escaped and several were freed for ransom. An American was among several who were beheaded. About 60 rebels are believed to be dragging the hostages through Basilan’s dense jungles.