Annan agrees to mediate between Israel and Hezbollah

JIDDAH – UN chief Kofi Annan said on Monday he would appoint a mediator for indirect talks between Israel and Hezbollah on the release of two abducted Israeli soldiers, the first public word of negotiations between the bitter enemies since fighting in Lebanon ended.

The announcement raised the possibility of a prisoner swap to win the soldiers’ release, which Israel has repeatedly rejected, at least in public. Until now, Israel had insisted that it would not hold any contacts with Hezbollah on the issue.The agreement on the mediation effort was a major boost to Annan’s efforts to strengthen the fragile 3-week-old ceasefire that ended 34 days of Israeli-Hezbollah fighting.Israel launched a massive offensive in Lebanon after the Shiite guerrillas snatched the two soldiers in a cross-border raid.The UN cease-fire resolution that ended the fighting on Aug.14 urges the unconditional release of the two soldiers.Hezbollah has said it would only free them in a swap for Arab prisoners held by Israel.”Both sides have accepted the good offices of the secretary-general to help resolve this problem,” Annan told a press conference in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Jiddah.”I will designate someone to work discreetly and quietly with them to find a solution.”Nampa-ReutersUntil now, Israel had insisted that it would not hold any contacts with Hezbollah on the issue.The agreement on the mediation effort was a major boost to Annan’s efforts to strengthen the fragile 3-week-old ceasefire that ended 34 days of Israeli-Hezbollah fighting.Israel launched a massive offensive in Lebanon after the Shiite guerrillas snatched the two soldiers in a cross-border raid.The UN cease-fire resolution that ended the fighting on Aug.14 urges the unconditional release of the two soldiers.Hezbollah has said it would only free them in a swap for Arab prisoners held by Israel.”Both sides have accepted the good offices of the secretary-general to help resolve this problem,” Annan told a press conference in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Jiddah.”I will designate someone to work discreetly and quietly with them to find a solution.”Nampa-Reuters