Israel: Annan's help not needed in prisoner swap

[spindrifter]

Haaretz.com
Tue., September 05, 2006 Elul 12, 5766

By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies

Israel has asked UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to assist in securing the release of two Israeli soldiers seized by Hezbollah, and not to mediate negotiations to free them, officials said on Monday.

Annan said on Monday he would appoint a secret envoy to work for the release of the soldiers.


"A mediator is not needed," a government official said. "The UN resolution determines that the soldiers will be released unconditionally. The UN Secretary-General will assist and not mediate."

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"I think that we are on the same page and I really don't want to go into the definitions. The main issue is that he has offered his good offices and they have been accepted... What we are trying to achieve is the release of the soldiers," (Annan's spokesman Ahmad) Fawzi said.

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