Western Countries Should ‘Go and Get’ Hostages--Gemayel

PARIS — Lebanese President Amin Gemayel told a French radio network in an interview broadcast today that Western countries whose nationals have been taken hostage in Beirut should rescue them by whatever means is necessary.

“Let’s get it over with,” Gemayel told France-Inter. “We can’t leave things hanging like that.”

Gemayel, 46, whose term ends this year, said that if Western nations will not meet the demands of the extremists holding 20 foreigners, including nine Americans, they should “go and get” them out “one way or another.”

He praised former President Jimmy Carter for authorizing the ill-fated 1980 military effort to rescue 52 American hostages held after the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

“At least Carter tried,” he said. “And people may have other ideas.”

But Gemayel said Western intelligence services have been paralyzed by a series of highly publicized scandals and political shuffles, and at present are incapable of undertaking such an initiative.

Western countries, he said, must speak “the same language as the kidnapers, as the Soviets did in October, 1985, to free their three diplomats.” The Soviets reportedly took ruthless action against the extremist group suspected of having kidnaped their envoys.