Reply #3: U.S. rules out prisoner swap for UK sailors-official [View All]

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. rules out prisoner swap for UK sailors-official
Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:29PM EDT

By Peter Graff

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States would not back a deal to swap five Iranians
it is holding in Iraq for 15 British military personnel seized by Tehran last week,
a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

Asked if Washington would be willing to entertain such a deal, the official, who
briefed reporters in London on condition he not be named, said:

"The government of the United Kingdom and we have a similar view about exchanges
of hostages. I don't think it's ever a good thing to create exchanges of hostages."

The official said he was unaware of any discussions between Britain and the United
States about freeing the five Iranians who were arrested during a raid on an Iranian
consulate in northern Iraq by U.S. forces in January.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2965035820070329

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Then again, the Repub track record on dealing with Iran isn't
completely credible in this regard.