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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
Photo: AFP

Livni: Lebanon settlement must include soldiers' return

During Germany visit, foreign minister says that addressing Syria on kidnapped soldiers' issue at this point 'will complicate the situation'

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Monday that a settlement of the conflict in Lebanon must include the release of the two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah.

 

The July 12 kidnapping "was the start of this entire matter," Livni said in Berlin after meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "From our side, so long as this issue with the two soldiers is not solved, the whole thing is of little significance. Our sovereignty has been infringed and if this resolution does not make that good, then we still have this problem," She said.

 

Although the text of the resolution emphasizes the need for the "unconditional release" of the two Israeli soldiers, that call is not included in the list of steps required for a lasting ceasefire.

 

"Many people in Israel are asking when ... The kidnapped soldiers are coming home," Livni said. "An entire nation is waiting for the soldiers to come home." "And therefore we expect that this resolution will implement this as well."

 

'Germany has possibilities to help free soldiers'

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who met with a Hizbullah Cabinet minister in Beirut on Monday, demanded that the radical Shiite group turn over the captured Israeli soldiers to the international Red Cross.

 

Steinmeier said, "we know ... The significance the freeing of the Israeli soldiers has in Israel and for Israel."

 

But he denied a news report that German officials were already making contacts to free them. Germany has a track record of mediating between Hizbullah and Israel regarding prisoner exchanges.

 

"There has been no request either from the Israeli or the Lebanese side," he added. In 2004, German-led mediation resulted in Israel handing over more than 400 Arab prisoners and the remains of 59 guerrillas in exchange for the release of an Israeli businessman kidnapped by Hizbullah in 2000 and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers.

 

Livni also was set to meet with German intelligence Chief Ernst Uhrlau.

 

Asked on ZDF television why Livni was meeting Uhrlau, German deputy foreign minister Gernot Erler said the talks would include discussion of efforts to get the soldiers released.

 

"It is well-known that Germany has possibilities ... To help free these captured and kidnapped Israeli soldiers," Erler said.

 

"There are also earlier cases and experiences that we can use, and therefore it is sensible that these three partners are available for talks with Mrs. Livni," he said, referring to Livni's meetings with Steinmeier, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the intelligence chief.

 

Livni: Addressing Syria now will complicate situation

During a lunch with journalists, Livni said Hizbullah's ally Syria should be addressed only after the situation in Lebanon and Israel's conflict with the Palestinians.

 

In contrast, Steinmeier says he is open to talks now with Syria, though he recently canceled a trip to Damascus over an anti-Israeli speech by President Bashar Assad. "To put Syria now ... Into this salad is only going to complicate the situation," Livni said. "I think that right now it is important to try to implement 1701, find a way to promote a process with the Palestinians, and then in the future, to deal with Syria. "

 

Livni also met Merkel, who said that "Germany wants to make its contribution to bringing about lasting peace" in the Middle East.

 

"We will do this with very concrete help, but we also will contribute to getting the political process back in motion," she added. Germany plans to contribute naval forces - but no ground troops - to the peacekeeping force.

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.28.06, 21:11
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