Hizbullah has set a price for information about whether two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by the militant group are still alive, Britain’s UN ambassador said Thursday.
Emyr Jones Parry’s comment comes two days after Hizbullah’s leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, revealed Tuesday night that “serious negotiations” were taking place over the two Israeli soldiers, whose capture provoked a 34-day war between the group and Israel.
“They’re asking a price for proof of life,” Jones Parry said Thursday, adding that he had no further details.
Nasrallah said in an interview on his group’s television channel Al-Manar that a negotiator appointed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan - who has not been publicly identified - had been mediating between Hizbullah and Israeli officials.
Nasrallah would not provide details about the negotiations, but he said, “We have reached a stage of exchanging ideas, proposals or conditions.”
In Jerusalem on Wednesday, Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin declined to confirm any indirect talks with Hizbullah, which Israel and the US regard as a terrorist organization.
“We don’t comment about anything that has to do with the abducted soldiers,” Eisin said, “Israel will do all it takes to get their release without hurting Israel’s security.”
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