Exchange of prisoners in Israel – SecGen press encounter in Berlin – Transcript (excerpts)

Berlin, Germany, 16 July 2008 – Secretary-General's press encounter with German Minister for Defence, Franz Josef Jung

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Q: Mr General Secretary, do you have a comment on Germany's role in the exchange of prisoners in Israel?

SG: I have been closely working with German facilitators and I appreciate this contribution and I'm very much encouraged by the exchange of prisoners. I hope this will be the beginning of many to come in the future. I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and commend the leadership and initiative of my facilitator for his role to enable this release of prisoners. There are still many more to be done. I hope the release of Corporal [Gilad] Shalit and the Palestinian prisoners will also be realized as soon as possible. This is an important humanitarian aspect of Security Council Resolution 1701. But much more needs to be done and I take this opportunity to express again my appreciation to the German Government for their very sincere support in this matter. Thank you.