White House Expects No Quick Release of Hostages

The White House said today there are no grounds for expecting an imminent release of the American hostages in Lebanon but said many people outside the U.S. government are involved in talks to win their freedom.

Marlin Fitzwater, chief spokesman for President Bush, declared anew that the United States is ready to talk directly with Iran about the hostages, “whenever Iran is ready to do so.”

He emphasized longstanding U.S. policy that “we will make no concessions” to win the hostages’ release.

Iran is believed to exert considerable influence over Hezbollah, an umbrella group of Shiites who are believed to hold some of the Americans in Lebanon.

Fitzwater said that no U.S. government officials are speaking with Iran now about the hostages.

However, he said, many other people are talking with various parties about the hostages. Fitzwater said they include businessmen, diplomats of other countries, representatives of hostage families and others.

“Many of them have had contacts with the U.S. government,” he said. “They have told us what they are doing, they have asked us for advice.” Nevertheless, he said, they are not working for the government.

Asked if the Administration senses any movement in the hostage ordeal, Fitzwater said, “We cannot say that there is any movement. We know of no imminent release.”

Hopes for the hostages’ release have been fueled by a spate of stories about contacts in the Middle East about the hostages.

For example, a Syrian source said a meeting Sunday between Mahmoud Hashemi, a senior Iranian envoy, and Farouk Shareh, Syria’s foreign minister, appeared intended “to coordinate efforts between the governments of Syria and Iran to gain the release of all the hostages.”