Special report: Israel-Lebanon Conflicts   [ Video ][Gallery]

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan speaks at a news conference in Jeddah Sept. 4, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters photo)

    BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday he would appoint a secret mediator for the release of two Israeli soldiers, whose abduction in July sparked a massive Israeli offensive against Hezbollah that lasted 34 days until a U.N.-arranged cease-fire.

    "The two sides have accepted the effort of the secretary-general to help solve this problem," Reuters quoted Annan as saying in Saudi Arabia.

    Hezbollah wants to exchange the soldiers for Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails. Hezbollah and the Jewish state have been involved in prisoner exchanges in the past.

    Israel's official position remains that it will not enter into any negotiations to free the soldiers, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

    The Lebanese government agreed to file a complaint to the UN security council over Israel's nearly eight-week-old air and sea blockade despite the truce. Israel said it has kept its embargo to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Enditem

(Agencies)