Mashnouq to Discuss with Hariri Latest Developments Linked to Abducted Soldiers

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq traveled to France on Wednesday where he is scheduled to hold talks with head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

It said that the meeting will discuss the latest developments linked to the case of soldiers and policemen abducted by Islamists, who overran the northeastern town of Arsal in August.

The daily denied claims that new mediation channels will be opened with the kidnappers, explaining instead that the negotiations will take place through the “known channels.”

“Any new course will harm the current efforts,” it added.

Mashnouq revealed that the security meeting that was held on Tuesday at the Defense Ministry tackled “all options to release the Lebanese hostages held in Arsal's outskirts.”

“A swap is among the options. It will take place through the rules that bind this procedure,” he said.

“Any claims to the contrary are not true,” said the minister.

He reassured the families of the executed captives that “their blood will not go to waste.”

“Their suffering should motivate us to exert more efforts to resolve this tragedy through the available means,” he remarked.

“Even if they may take some time, the local and international efforts to set free the hostages will yield the results we aspire for, which is to see the captives released safe and sound,” Mashnouq stated.

The soldiers and policemen were abducted in Arsal in August in the wake of clashes between the military and Islamists from the Islamic State and al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

Three of the hostages have been killed and the militants warned they would kill more if the Lebanese authorities failed to meet their demands.

The families of the captives have resorted to blocking roads in various Lebanese regions to pressure the authorities to exert more efforts to ensure the safe release of their loves ones.

M.T.

G.K.

Comments 12
Thumb EagleDawn 25 September 2014, 08:11

Nasrallah should lead the negotiations since he is already negotiating with ISIL. Make it one big swap

Thumb ex-fpm 25 September 2014, 11:29

First, he is not an ex-politician. He is a current MP and the leader of the parliamentary majority. Second, he is the same person that your ally, the FPM, went to Paris and Riyadh to meet begging to get his support for Aoun's nomination for the presidency.

Thumb galaxy 25 September 2014, 11:57

flamethrower, why would you want to form a coalition with an ex politician as you say who you claim is irrelevant and pays naharnet to stay relevant and give him exposure... does not make sense?!

Missing coolmec 25 September 2014, 08:13

eagkedawn
Nasrallah is negotiating with IS? says who?

Thumb EagleDawn 25 September 2014, 08:16

He said it in his speech

Thumb EagleDawn 25 September 2014, 08:18

Nasrallah: It is normal to engage in negotiations and we had negotiated in an indirect manner over captives and the bodies of martyrs. Nowadays, we have martyrs and missing fighters and we have been negotiating for months, because this is the normal approach. We have never rejected the principle of negotiations.

Missing coolmec 25 September 2014, 09:29

Eagledawn.
I do not trust KSA I think they are the source of most of our troubles. So far the KSA military aid to Lebanon has been only empty talks. Action speaks louder than words. where is the help promised? where is the money they promised us to buy weapons?

Default-user-icon CFTC (Guest) 25 September 2014, 09:46

words...only empty words they offer us as you say coolmec. Only mirage they offer us like the ones they have in their desert. They know what they are talking about (-:

Default-user-icon CFTC (Guest) 25 September 2014, 11:49

I agree with you CFTC (Guest). Please, try to use another guest name so people don't get mixed up. Thank you and I wish I can vote you up but I am only a guest like you with no voting rights.

Missing coolmec 26 September 2014, 01:06

CFTC
I agree with you

Missing ysurais 25 September 2014, 10:26

Mr Mashnouq, don't u think it is time for u to stop procrastinating and push out the contract workers out of EDL?

Default-user-icon Souri EDL contract worker (Guest) 25 September 2014, 10:42

The EDL contract workers are controlled by hezb and amal. One word from sayyed and it is all over. Get your facts right