Negotiations under way here to bring about an exchange of Western hostages in Lebanon for Shi’ite prisoners held by Israel appear to be picking up momentum.
But in Jerusalem, Defense Ministry spokesman Danny Naveh denied that Israel is preparing a unilateral release of Shi’ite detainees for the coming weekend.
Israeli negotiators voiced tentative optimism about resolving the hostage situation, after a meeting they held here Wednesday afternoon with U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar.
But they said they had still not received reliable information about the conditions or whereabouts of seven Israeli soldiers long missing in action in Lebanon, some of whom are believed to be held by Shi’ite groups.
Israel has insisted on receiving information about the MIAs before it agrees to release any of the estimated 375 Shi’ites imprisoned in the El-Khiam detention center in the Israeli-controlled sector of southern Lebanon.
Israel also holds Sheik Abdul Karim Obeid, spiritual leader of one of the hostage-taking factions, who was seized from his home by Israeli commandos in July 1989 and spirited away to Israel. Shi’ite groups in Lebanon have demanded his release as part of a comprehensive, international exchange of prisoners and hostages.
Hopes in Israel about the fate of its MIAs were raised Tuesday night, when Palestinian terrorist leader Ahmed Jabril told the Cable News Network that three of the Israeli servicemen were still alive, three dead and the seventh unaccounted for but believed dead.
‘VERY FRUITFUL’ DISCUSSIONS
Israeli officials were cautious about the reliability of the claim. But the families of some of the missing soldiers were encouraged, as previous reports had said it was likely that only one of the seven was still alive in captivity.
Two of the men’s fathers, Yonah Baumel and Yosef Katz, issued a statement Wednesday saying they felt confident their sons were alive.
Katz disclosed that he had recently met with unnamed Arab sources in London, who had boosted his confidence, while Baumel cited information he had culled from a recent visit to unnamed Arab countries.
Here in Geneva, Perez de Cuellar was “unable to give us new information concerning our soldiers,” Israeli negotiator Uri Lubrani reported after the talks Wednesday.
Lubrani, who is coordinator of Israeli operations in Lebanon, was accompanied at the talks by Yohanan Bein, head of the international organizations division of the Foreign Ministry, and attorney Uri Slonim, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s adviser on prisoners of war.
The Israeli delegation arrived here at 1 p.m. and went immediately to La Reserve Hotel. They spoke with Perez de Cuellar for 90 minutes.
Lubrani characterized the meeting as good and “very fruitful,” but stressed that Israel requires firm and reliable information about the Israeli MIAs before it will agree to release any detainees.
He said the U.N. secretary-general had wanted to know what concessions Israel was ready to make and appeared to be satisfied with the Israeli response.
Lubrani said he was optimistic about a resolution of the hostage situation. But he also expressed concern that international publicity about the sensitive negotiations could have an adverse effect.
The Israeli delegation was to stay in Geneva; another two days. Lubrani did not say whether there would be more sessions with the U.N. chief.
The secretary-general was also optimistic in a statement made to reporters Wednesday morning. But after his afternoon meeting with the Israelis, he said he had been “naive” to expect an immediate resolution of the hostage problem.
(JTA correspondent David Landau in Jerusalem contributed to this report.)
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