UN's Ban sees peace process boost from Shalit deal

GENEVA: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that he expected the Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchange to boost prospects for the wider peace process.

"With this release, it will have a far-reaching positive impact to the stalled Middle East peace process," Ban told Reuters at the end of a three-day trip to Switzerland.

"I am very encouraged by the prisoner exchange today after many years of negotiation.

The United Nations has been calling for (an end to) the unacceptable detention of Gilad
Shalit and also the release of all Palestinians whose human rights have been abused all the time."