Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (L) and Syrian President Bashar Assad
Photo: Reuters
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Photo: Reuters
President George W. Bush
Photo: Reuters
Hizbullah agrees to indirect talks with Israel
Lebanese parliament speaker says Hizbullah has agreed that Lebanese government hold negotiations on prisoner exchange deal with Israel through third party; earlier Lebanese foreign minister says two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah safe and well
Hizbullah has agreed that the Lebanese government negotiate a prisoner exchange deal with Israel via a third party, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said.
"The Lebanese government will lead the exchange through the intermediary of a third party," he said.
Earlier, Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Sallukh said earlier that the two soldiers were "in good health" and called on "the United Nations or any third friendly party to engage in discussions for a prisoners' exchange."
"Germany has played an important and prominent role between Lebanon and Israel in the past, and it can play a similar role now," he said after meeting Peter Witteg, chief of international affairs at the German foreign ministry.
In another development, Syria said it is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States to solve the confrontation between Hizbullah and Israel, said on Sunday.
"Syria is ready for dialogue with the United States based on respect and mutual interests," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad told Reuters in an interview.
The London-based daily newspaper al-Hayat reported Sunday that Syria is mulling a "package deal" for a comprehensive solution to the crisis between Lebanon and Syria.
The deal calls for a ceasefire, the exchange of prisoners between Israel and Lebanon and resuming stalled peace talks with Israel, the newspaper said.
Syrian Information Minister Moshen Bilal told Spanish newspaper ABC that he is working to achieve a ceasefire between Hizbullah and Israel with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whom he met in recent days in Madrid.
Reuters and AFP contributed to this report
