SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PROGRESS ON HUMANITARIAN ASPECTS OF SECURITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTION 1701 (2006), ACHIEVED BY RECENT DECISION OF ISRAELI GOVERNMENT

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the progress on the urgent humanitarian aspects of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) achieved by the recent decision of the Israeli Government.  These involve the return of the two abducted Israeli soldiers and the solution of the cases of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel.  He looks forward to the signing and the full implementation of the negotiated agreement in the near future.  He hopes that the envisaged humanitarian moves will encourage further steps on implementing other parts of the resolution and contribute to further humanitarian moves.

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For information media • not an official record