Report: Ofer Dekel to meet Suleiman and discuss resuming Schalit talks

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Ofer Dekel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's point man on the issue of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit, will be in Cairo early next week with Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, the London-based Arabic daily Al Hayat reported Friday morning. According to the report, the two will "discuss ways to kick-start Egyptian mediation and moderate the positions of both sides with the intention of unfreezing the negotiations." An Egyptian source quoted by the paper denied recent reports to the effect that Israel had informed Cairo of its intention to call off the ceasefire agreement in Gaza due to the lack of progress in the Schalit affair. Egypt is the party that is most interested in formulating a swap deal between Israel and Hamas, the source said, adding that the central precondition to opening Rafah Crossing from Gaza was the release of Schalit from captivity. The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report.