Desert_Sloath
04-09-06, 11:57 PM
Annan to mediate efforts to free Israeli soldiers
U.N. chief will appoint negotiator who will operate secretly as go-between
The Associated Press
Updated: 1:12 p.m. ET Sept. 4, 2006
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia - Annan told a press conference in Jiddah that both sides had agreed for the U.N. secretary-general to negotiate between them on the issue of the soldiers, according to an Arabic translation of his comments.
He said he would appoint a mediator who would operate secretly to facilitate working between the two sides.
Annan did not specify whether the mediate would center on proposals for a prisoner swap.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev and Hezbollah's chief spokesman, Hussein Rahal, refused to comment on the report.
U.N.: Requests from both sides
Annan's spokesman, Ahmed Fawzi, said Israel and Hezbollah had both requested that Annan mediate in the prisoner issue.
"The secretary-general has accepted to play a role as mediator in the matter of the abducted soldiers," Fawzi told The Associated Press.
Word of the mediation mission came as Annan met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in the Red Sea port of Jiddah, the latest stop in the U.N. chief's 11-day tour of the Middle East aimed at getting all sides to implement and support the U.N. cease-fire resolution.
The U.N. resolution calls for the two Israelis' release, and Israel has underlined that winning their freedom is crucial for the truce to hold. At the same time, it has been showing signs of backing down on its refusal to negotiate a swap amid growing public pressure. Hezbollah and Israel have had prisoner swaps in the past.
During his Middle East trip, Annan has also been dealing with the West's nuclear standoff with Iran, after Tehran ignored a U.N. deadline last Thursday to halt uranium enrichment, opening the door to possible U.N. sanctions over concerns that Iran is building nuclear weapons.
'The best solution to the issue is talks'
Earlier Monday in Qatar, Annan said that the dispute over Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through negotiations.
"The best solution to the issue is talks," Annan was quoted as saying by the official Qatar News Agency.
Annan on Sunday met Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who told him that Iran favored talks over its nuclear program but would not halt uranium enrichment before entering negotiations as demanded by the West.
Saudi Arabia is a key player in Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers have started to arrive to monitor the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire.
Saudi Arabia has pledged $1.5 billion in aid for Lebanon, and a government-organized telethon has netted nearly 109 million riyals ($29 million) in support of Lebanon.
As the birthplace of Islam and the world's largest oil producer, the kingdom enjoys vast religious and financial powers and influence in the Middle East.
The daily Okaz newspaper said Annan is expected to "hear a moderate vision regarding peace in the region" and may be briefed on efforts to revive a peace initiative that Saudi Arabia put forward in 2002.
The plan calls for peace between Israel and all Arab nations once the Jewish state gave up the Golan Heights, West Bank and other Arab lands seized in wars. The Arab League endorsed the plan, but Israel said its requirement for a withdrawal to pre-1967 borders would jeopardize Israeli security. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan recently spearheaded a new Arab effort to build on the Saudi plan.
Annan is on a Middle East tour that has taken him to Lebanon, Israel and Syria. His coming stops include Egypt and Turkey.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14668729/
My Views:
I like the word "secret negotiation". Nice isn't it :hyper: . Also i like the word about "revive a peace initiative". I didn't not that it was in a comma. I thought they were searching for "road map". :o Also this stuff looks like somebody rushed to a UN Store and came up with "The plan calls for peace between Israel and all Arab nations once the Jewish state gave up the Golan Heights, West Bank and other Arab lands seized in wars". It looks like Arabs have decided to start from where they left. However, what is so special about so called "Israeli" captors ?
Why no stone moved when Israeli scooped dorzens of Palestinians currently languishing in ZTE's jail ? Not only ordinary Palestinians but people whom by all political and diplomatic standard are entitled to immunity. Is it not a joke that the ENTIRE body of Palestinian legislative council IS in jail like criminals ? Where was Dear Cofi ? And Why he is playing a role which USA would have not allowed had Condoliza been able to do ?
Final kuwaition:
Condolliza Dear where is that post Lebanon Attrocity Smile gone ?
Signed xxxxxx
Desert Sloth - Student of Political Science
@ University of Semma & Muqazzah
;)
. :p
U.N. chief will appoint negotiator who will operate secretly as go-between
The Associated Press
Updated: 1:12 p.m. ET Sept. 4, 2006
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia - Annan told a press conference in Jiddah that both sides had agreed for the U.N. secretary-general to negotiate between them on the issue of the soldiers, according to an Arabic translation of his comments.
He said he would appoint a mediator who would operate secretly to facilitate working between the two sides.
Annan did not specify whether the mediate would center on proposals for a prisoner swap.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev and Hezbollah's chief spokesman, Hussein Rahal, refused to comment on the report.
U.N.: Requests from both sides
Annan's spokesman, Ahmed Fawzi, said Israel and Hezbollah had both requested that Annan mediate in the prisoner issue.
"The secretary-general has accepted to play a role as mediator in the matter of the abducted soldiers," Fawzi told The Associated Press.
Word of the mediation mission came as Annan met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in the Red Sea port of Jiddah, the latest stop in the U.N. chief's 11-day tour of the Middle East aimed at getting all sides to implement and support the U.N. cease-fire resolution.
The U.N. resolution calls for the two Israelis' release, and Israel has underlined that winning their freedom is crucial for the truce to hold. At the same time, it has been showing signs of backing down on its refusal to negotiate a swap amid growing public pressure. Hezbollah and Israel have had prisoner swaps in the past.
During his Middle East trip, Annan has also been dealing with the West's nuclear standoff with Iran, after Tehran ignored a U.N. deadline last Thursday to halt uranium enrichment, opening the door to possible U.N. sanctions over concerns that Iran is building nuclear weapons.
'The best solution to the issue is talks'
Earlier Monday in Qatar, Annan said that the dispute over Iran's nuclear program should be resolved through negotiations.
"The best solution to the issue is talks," Annan was quoted as saying by the official Qatar News Agency.
Annan on Sunday met Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who told him that Iran favored talks over its nuclear program but would not halt uranium enrichment before entering negotiations as demanded by the West.
Saudi Arabia is a key player in Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers have started to arrive to monitor the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire.
Saudi Arabia has pledged $1.5 billion in aid for Lebanon, and a government-organized telethon has netted nearly 109 million riyals ($29 million) in support of Lebanon.
As the birthplace of Islam and the world's largest oil producer, the kingdom enjoys vast religious and financial powers and influence in the Middle East.
The daily Okaz newspaper said Annan is expected to "hear a moderate vision regarding peace in the region" and may be briefed on efforts to revive a peace initiative that Saudi Arabia put forward in 2002.
The plan calls for peace between Israel and all Arab nations once the Jewish state gave up the Golan Heights, West Bank and other Arab lands seized in wars. The Arab League endorsed the plan, but Israel said its requirement for a withdrawal to pre-1967 borders would jeopardize Israeli security. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan recently spearheaded a new Arab effort to build on the Saudi plan.
Annan is on a Middle East tour that has taken him to Lebanon, Israel and Syria. His coming stops include Egypt and Turkey.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14668729/
My Views:
I like the word "secret negotiation". Nice isn't it :hyper: . Also i like the word about "revive a peace initiative". I didn't not that it was in a comma. I thought they were searching for "road map". :o Also this stuff looks like somebody rushed to a UN Store and came up with "The plan calls for peace between Israel and all Arab nations once the Jewish state gave up the Golan Heights, West Bank and other Arab lands seized in wars". It looks like Arabs have decided to start from where they left. However, what is so special about so called "Israeli" captors ?
Why no stone moved when Israeli scooped dorzens of Palestinians currently languishing in ZTE's jail ? Not only ordinary Palestinians but people whom by all political and diplomatic standard are entitled to immunity. Is it not a joke that the ENTIRE body of Palestinian legislative council IS in jail like criminals ? Where was Dear Cofi ? And Why he is playing a role which USA would have not allowed had Condoliza been able to do ?
Final kuwaition:
Condolliza Dear where is that post Lebanon Attrocity Smile gone ?
Signed xxxxxx
Desert Sloth - Student of Political Science
@ University of Semma & Muqazzah
;)
. :p