Copyright 1994 The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
January 7, 1994
HEADLINE: PERES HOPEFUL US WILL GET NEW INFORMATION ON MIAS
BYLINE: BATSHEVA TSUR
BODY:
A US congressional delegation will hopefully uncover new information about the IDF soldiers missing in Lebanon, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said yesterday.
"It is a very professional and dedicated mission," he said. "I expect it will do good work and find out what needs to be found out."
He was speaking as the four-person US team met in Tel Aviv with the families of Yehuda Katz, Zvi Feldman, Zacharia Baumel, Yossi Fink, Rahamim Alsheik, and Ron Arad.
No official comment was available from either the Israeli or the American side, beyond an assurance from delegation head Michael van Dusen that "everything possible" would be done to help the families.
The delegation listened patiently as each family told them of information they had painstakingly managed to piece together, through official and unofficial channels, during the long years their sons have been missing.
"They seem to be very professional, very serious," said Yona Baumel. "We hope they'll bring results."
He said members of the delegation "would not be working with a stopwatch and plan to go wherever they can get information."
"They did not bring us new information," Yosef Katz told Army Radio after the meeting. "They are extremely humane and serious but there is no substantive breakthrough, only an emotional breakthrough. When we see Yehuda ... that will be a breakthrough."
The delegation received a mandate to visit Damascus following talks between Secretary of State Warren Christopher and President Hafez Assad. The team is expected to go to Syria over the weekend.