Frattini visits Gulf

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has been visiting Gulf countries, working for the release of the Simonas. "I hope that the contacts of these days bring good results, {but] obviously today it is completely impossible to speak about new developments... At the moment secrecy is an obligation so as not to compromise any path. Yesterday in Kuwait and today in Abu Dhabi we have acquired information about the kidnapping of Simona Pari, Simona Torretta and two of their Iraqi colleagues, which we are evaluating." At the moment, he said, one can talk "neither of optimism, nor of pessimism. We are evaluating and checking all the elements gathered." (al-Arabiya)