UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has spelled out his terms for further prisoner swaps with Israel, according to a letter from UN chief Ban Ki-moon to the president of the Security Council seen here Wednesday.

Ban said he had received a letter from the Lebanese Shiite leader indicating "his readiness for participation in the remaining humanitarian cases of Israeli MIA (missing in action) of the 1980s," the UN chief said in his letter addressed to Vietnam's UN Ambassador Le Luong Minh, the council chair this month.

Ban said Nasrallah made it clear that his positive attitude would depend on "the nature and extent of Israeli humanitarian moves on behalf of Palestinian and Arab victims."

Nasrallah stated that a "minimum requirement" would be the release of "hundreds" of "minors, women and elderly people being held in Israeli detention" as well as detainees suffering from health handicaps and injuries, according to Ban's letter.

Ban said Nasrallah's letter stressed that these cases "would have to be resolved now, in order to secure Hezbollah's further support in other humanitarian issues."

Last week, Israel handed over its last five Lebanese prisoners, including convicted murderer Samir Kantar, and the bodies of 199 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters.

In exchange Hezbollah returned the bodies of Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev who were captured on July 12, 2006, sparking a devastating 34-day war in south Lebanon.

"I strongly commend the Israeli readiness to engage in another release of Palestinian detainees and welcome Hezbollah's willingness in principle to further contribute to the solution of the humanitarian cases," Ban said in his letter.

"I hope that the forthcoming releases promote further humanitarian moves and call upon all sides to faithfully contribute to the process," he added.

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