UN 'working on freeing soldiers'
2006-09-10 09:48
Abu Dhabi - The United Nations has started work to try to secure the release of two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah in July, a senior UN official said on Sunday.
Deputy UN secretary-general Mark Malloch Brown told Reuters in Abu Dhabi a "facilitator" had been appointed to work for the release of the soldiers, whose kidnapping in a cross-border raid set off a 34-day war.
"I don't want to go into details, but it has begun," Brown
said when asked about the UN efforts.
"A facilitator, as we would like to call him, has been
appointed and is working (with both sides)," he added.
Last week, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Israel and
Hezbollah has both agreed to his appointment of an envoy to work
on freeing the soldiers.
Lebanon has said the men would not be released unless Israel was prepared to discuss a prisoner swap.
- Reuters