Annan Unable to Confirm Kidnapped Troops are Alive

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday that he was under the impression that kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev were alive, but stopped short of confirming it.

His remarks during a press conference with Prime Minister Ehud olmert in Jerusalem came hours after US civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, who met Syrian and Hamas leaders in Damascus, said that the soldiers were "alive and well."

Annan promised to do everything in his power to bring about the return of the kidnapped soldiers.

According to Annan, during his meeting with Lebanese leaders in Beirut, he demanded an immediate and unconditional release of the kidnapped troops held by Hizbullah. The UN chief commented that he was of the impression that they were serious about solving the problem.