REQUEST FOR VIDEOTAPE BY ISRAELI MINISTER OF DEFENCE

REQUEST FOR VIDEOTAPE BY ISRAELI MINISTER OF DEFENCE

This is the text of a statement today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

A letter to the Secretary-General from the Minister of Defence of Israel was received today requesting a videotape which, he believes, might shed light on the abduction of three Israeli soldiers by Hizballah on 7 October 2000.  This request for this tape, which was filmed the following day, is being studied in the Secretariat.

Meanwhile numerous inquiries are being addressed to Terje Roed Larsen and Staffan de Mistura, respectively the Secretary-General’s Special Coordinator and his Personal Representative, neither of whom was aware of the existence of this videotape until a few days ago.  The Secretariat wishes to make it clear that this matter is being dealt with here at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

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