MIDEAST TENSIONS; Iraq Releases 99 Hostages To Swiss and French Visitors
REUTERS
Published: November 23, 1990
The French right-wing politician Jean-Marie Le Pen left here today with 63 men from 10 European nations who had been held hostage by Iraq.
Several hours later, a second flight left for Zurich carrying a group of 36 Europeans freed after efforts by a Swiss parliamentary group.
Neither of the hostage missions was officially sanctioned by a European Government, and Mr. Le Pen portrayed his effort as a personal victory over the French and European Community establishments. European Community governments have refused to negotiate for the hostages' freedom on an official level with President Saddam Hussein.
The five-member Swiss party kept a lower profile in seeking the release of Swiss nationals and others working for Swiss companies in Iraq.
The British Ambassador to Iraq, Harold Walker, said a list of 35 British hostages to be freed had been given to him late Wednesday, and although his staff had worked through the night to contact them and arrange exit visas, only 17 had made it to the plane.
MD12
