HIZBULLAH has promised to seek information about a missing Israeli airman, Mr Ron Arad, as the basis for continuing negotiations with Israel on a comprehensive prisoner exchange.
"We will continue the discussions on the basis of getting some information about Arad, if we get the information," Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of the pro Iranian militant group, told a news conference in Beirut.
Hizbullah, which is trying to oust Israeli forces in south Lebanon, wants to secure the release of all 70 prisoners it says are held in Israel and some 160 by its South Lebanon Army (SLA) allies in south Lebanon.
He was speaking one day alter Hizbullah exchanged the remains of two Israeli soldiers for the bodies of 123 guerrillas held by Israel in a deal brokered by German mediators led by a security official, Mr Bernd Schmidbauer.
Under the deal Hizbullah also freed 17 SLA fighters and the militia released 45 Lebanese prisoners from Khiam jail.
"We promise we will do everything possible to secure the release of all the prisoners. What happened yesterday was not the end," Sheikh Nasrallah said.
Rachamim Alsheikh and Yossi Fink, whose remains were returned to Israel under Sunday's swap, were among six Israeli soldiers who went missing in south Lebanon between 1982 and 1986. Only one, airman Ron Arad, is believed to be alive.
Israeli negotiators had at first halted the discussions that led to Sunday's exchange until they received news about Mr Arad, Sheikh Nasrallah said. He said Mr Arad disappeared soon after his capture and Hizbullah did not know if he was alive or dead.
Meanwhile PLO officials expect the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat's first high level meeting with Israel's new Likudled government today to put the peace process back on track.
Mr Arafat wants his talks with Israel's foreign minister, Mr David Levy, to lead to a summit with the Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, a PLO official said yesterday.
Peace talks between the PLO and Israel have been suspended since the election in May of Mr Netanyahu, whose opposition to trading land for peace has alarmed Arab leaders.
"This government has to start by continuing to implement the PLO Israel peace deal, which should lead to trading occupied land for peace," said a PLO negotiator, Mr Hassan Asfour.
PLO officials said Mr Arafat, frustrated and worried over suspension of peace moves, began to relax after the Egyptian President, Mr Hosni Mubarak, assured him that Mr Netanyahu would implement PLO Israel peace deals. They said that during Mr Netanyahu's visit to Egypt last week the Israeli premier told Mr Mubarak that talks with the PLO would resume soon.