Solana Urges Arab Countries To Help Secure Release Of Hostages In Iraq

BRUSSELS, Sept 8 (AFP) - The European Union's top foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Wednesday urged Arab countries to take diplomatic action that could help secure the release of all hostages in Iraq.
Meeting ambassadors of several member states of the Arab League, Solana issued an appeal "to Arab countries to get involved in all sorts of diplomatic actions, public or private, to settle the crisis," said his spokeswoman, Cristina Gallach.
Such initiatives "can only help find a solution to this crisis" and generally "improve the mutual perception of European and Arab societies," she added.
Earlier Wednesday, Solana voiced concern over the fate of two Italian women kidnapped in Iraq Tuesday along with two Iraqis working for Italian non governmental organizations.
The European Union earlier Wednesday called for their immediate release.
"I strongly condemn this new act of violence and urge their kidnappers to release the four relief workers unharmed," Solana said.
Pope John Paul II also said he prayed that the women, working with the Italian charity "Un Ponte Per Baghdad" (A Bridge to Baghdad), "would be treated with respect and returned as soon as possible to their families".