Catherine Ashton welcomes Shalit deal

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas to release captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

"I warmly welcome the news that Gilad Shalit will soon be able to return home after five years of captivity, putting an end to the long ordeal that he and his family have endured," Ashton said in a statement. "I pay tribute to the work of all those who have worked tirelessly to secure his release, and in particular the Egyptian and German negotiators," she added. (AFP)