Waite Back in Beirut for Hostage Talks

Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite returned to Beirut today to resume his efforts to free foreign hostages, who include five Americans. He said he is concerned about all of the hostages and will not focus on just the Americans.

“Signs have been given to me that now is a reasonable time to come back,” Waite told reporters upon arrival at Beirut Airport aboard an unscheduled Middle East Airlines flight from London.

“I think if we get some resolution to this hostage crisis, that will be a step toward Lebanon experiencing the peace that the people here deserve,” he said.

Asked whether he would focus on the release of Americans held by the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad, he said: “No, no. We are concerned about all of the hostages and all the people that are here.”

Fifteen foreigners, including the five Americans, are missing in Lebanon. Since Waite began his negotiations with Shia Muslim terrorists in 1985, three American hostages have been freed, but his role in their release is not clear.

At about the same time Waite began his efforts on behalf of the hostages, a program of secret U.S. arms sales to Iran began with one of its goals the release of the hostages. Some of the Americans and other captives are held by Muslim groups believed loyal to Iran’s Shia leadership.

After news of the U.S. sales broke in November, Waite said his mission suffered a setback. He denied knowing about the arms supplies or other aspects of the secret U.S. policy.

However, Waite said in December that despite the arms scandal in Washington he still had credibility with his contacts in Lebanon.