The World - News from Oct. 31, 1988

Iran and Iraq exchanged wounded prisoners, and U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar told the two nations that it is in their own interests to make progress at a new round of peace talks beginning today in Geneva. “Despite the cease-fire, the situation is fragile,� Perez de Cuellar said after his arrival to mediate the renewed talks. “It is not my problem, it is their problem. It is in their interests to make progress.� He said the main issues are troop withdrawals to less-confrontational positions along the 750-mile frontier and the repatriation of prisoners of war. In line with that, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it flew 25 wounded Iranian POWs from Baghdad to Tehran and returned with 25 injured Iraqis.