Hezbollah: Prisoner swap talks to start

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah today said that “contacts” for negotiations on a prisoner swap between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas had begun.

“The Israelis have acknowledged that this (issue) is headed for negotiations and a (prisoners) exchange,” Nasrallah said an interview with Lebanon’s New TV station.

Excerpts were shown ahead of the full interview, which was scheduled to be broadcast tonight.

“Contacts recently began for negotiations,” he said, adding that Italy and the United Nations had expressed interest in helping to mediate.

He said Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri was in charge of the negotiations.

Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers on July 12, sparking a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas that ended on August 14.

Nasrallah also said that if he had known the capture of two Israeli soldiers would lead to such a war, he wouldn't have ordered it.

Hezbollah guerrillas killed three Israeli soldiers and seized two more in a cross-border raid July 12, which sparked the 34 days of fighting.

“We did not think, even 1%, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 … that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not,” he said in the interview.

He said Italy and the United Nations had made contacts to help mediate a prisoner swap with Israel, but did not specify whether they had contacted Hezbollah directly.

“The Italians seem to be getting close and are trying to get into the subject. The United Nations is interested,” Nasrallah said.

The guerrilla leader did not specify in which capacity Italy had expressed interest – on its own or on Israel’s behalf.

He added that the subject would be discussed during UN Secretary General Kofi Annan’s visit to Beirut tomorrow. He said there had been “some contacts” to arrange a meeting between him and Annan, but that it was unlikely for security reasons. Nasrallah went into hiding on the first day of the war and his whereabouts are unknown.

He said in the interview that the Israelis “would not hesitate” to kill him if they knew where he was hiding.

Nasrallah also said he did not believe there would be a second bout of fighting with Israel.

“The current Israeli situation, and the available givens tell us that we are not heading to another round,” he said.