Solana promotes Israel and Palestinians prisoner exchange

Source: CCTV.com

10-30-2006 14:03

European foreign policy chief, Javier Solana traveled to Cairo today to continue efforts to secure a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinians.

In an effort to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Solana met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak while he's on his six-day tour of the Middle East.

Solana said it's necessary to have a meeting between Prime Minister Olmert and President Mahmoud Abbas, or Abu Mazen.

Javier said, “For that to have a significant result President Abu Mazen will probably not accept that meeting until he can guarantee that some prisoners will be released -- and for that it will be very important to release also of the kidnapped soldier that is now in the hands of Hamas.”

A spokesman for President Mubarak confirmed yesterday that Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal will visit Cairo for talks on the prisoner exchange issue.

He said during the visit Egypt would also press to bring about an agreement on a Palestinian government of national unity.

The spokesman also confirmed press reports that several thousand Egyptian soldiers have been deployed to Egypt's border with Gaza. This comes after speculation that Israel was planning to bomb tunnels used for smuggling weapons into the occupied Palestinian territories.

 

Editor:Sun Luying