Posted on 09/04/2006 7:14:53 PM PDT by blam
Israel backs Annan bid to secure freedom for soldiers
By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 05/09/2006)
Kofi Annan said he would appoint a secret negotiator to mediate between Israel and Hizbollah for the release of two Israeli soldiers
Kofi Annan announced yesterday that the United Nations would mediate to secure the release of the two Israeli soldiers held by Hizbollah in Lebanon in a fresh attempt to defuse tensions in the area.
The abduction of the soldiers by guerrillas in a cross-border raid in July provoked an Israeli offensive and led to 34 days of bloody fighting. Until yesterday's announcement by the UN secretary general, Israel had never agreed to any form of negotiations with the Iranian-backed Shia group.
The apparent climbdown came as Qatar became the first Arab country to pledge troops to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.
The decision by the tiny Gulf state to commit 200 to 300 troops is a much-needed public relations boost to the force that is securing a buffer zone between Israel and the Hizbollah guerrillas.
America, EU countries and Israel had been pressing for Muslim nations to contribute to the force to give it added credibility. However, Arab states in particular have been wary of taking part lest they be regarded as hostile to Hizbollah, whose reputation has soared in the Muslim world in recent weeks.
The details of Mr Annan's mission remain sketchy. Hizbollah has repeatedly insisted the soldiers would only be freed in exchange for Arab prisoners held by Israel. It has insisted on an unconditional release although it has recently showed signs of backing down on its refusal to consider a swap.
While neither side confirmed the mission yesterday, Mr Annan said that both had accepted his offer to mediate.
"I wouldn't want to refer to it as an agreement but I would want to say that both parties have accepted the good offices of the secretary general to help resolve this problem," he told a press conference in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
"I will work with the parties and I will designate someone to work discreetly and quietly with them to find a solution," he said. "I will not even tell you the name of the person, either today or tomorrow, because I want him to be able to work discreetly."
The mission gives the UN the chance to rehabilitate its reputation in the Middle East which took a battering during this summer's war.
As the fighting raged, UN diplomats haggled for weeks before securing agreement on a resolution outlining terms for a ceasefire.
Last week, Mr Annan toured the region but came away empty handed after his calls for the kidnapped soldiers to be released and for Israel to lift its sea and air embargo on Lebanon went unheeded.
Mr Annan made very clear that he appreciated the difficulties ahead.
"The only [thing] I insisted on is that if I am going to use my good offices, then my mediator should be the only mediator," he said. "If [others] get involved, we will pull out because you would get wires crossed."
He was earlier able to claim a further sign of progress when the foreign minister of Qatar emerged from a meeting with him to announce the commitment of troops to the peacekeeping force.
It was an attempt "to tell the world of the Arab presence even modestly in this force and to tell Israel that we believe in this decision and so we want to contribute in implementing it", said Sheik Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani.
Shaukat Aziz, Pakistan's prime minister, indicated that Islamabad was considering a similar pledge.
"If it helps the settlement of peace Pakistan may consider contributing troops to Lebanon but such a decision has not been made yet," he said yesterday according to Turkey's Anatolia news agency.
The planned 15,000-strong UN force is intended to police a buffer zone between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas.
But while the UN resolution that mandated the force calls for Hizbollah to be disarmed, it stops short of authorising the UN troops to take on the potentially perilous task.
Whatthe hell is a Secret negotiator?
Looks like Israel has gone for the full "Ohmert-Rice-Bush El-Foldo". Spines are in short supply these days.
Jesse cant be the secret negotiator. If he were negotiating he would be shouting to the media , "Hey look at me , look at me. I am the secret negotiator". That putz cant keep anything a secret except why the IRS isnt auditing the Rainbow Coalition.
He will put put Hamas on double secret probation...
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