BETHLEHEM, May 10, 2002 — The papal envoy who was deeply involved in the negotiations here and in Rome, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the 39-day siege of Bethlehem’s Basilica of the Nativity, which ended this morning.

BETHLEHEM, May 10, 2002 — The papal envoy who was deeply involved in the negotiations here and in Rome, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the 39-day siege of Bethlehem’s Basilica of the Nativity, which ended this morning.

Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the man John Paul II sent here to help work out a solution, was pleased with the final agreement on the fate of 13 Palestinians who are considered terrorists by Israel.

“All the participants in this obstacle course must be congratulated for the success achieved,” the cardinal told the Rome-based Zenit news agency.

However, “much remains to be done to reach a just and permanent peace, not only in Bethlehem, but in the entire Holy Land,” he said. “The road will be long; the determined solidarity of all men and all peoples will be necessary to go forward.”

Early this morning, the bus transporting 13 Palestinians to exile left the square in front of the basilica, bringing to an end the siege by the Israeli army that began April 2 after armed and unarmed Palestinians entered the historic site.

The 13 were put on a flight to Cyprus, to be transported later to several countries, including Spain, Greece, Italy, Canada, Austria and Luxembourg.

An additional 26 Palestinians, considered by the Israeli army to be of “medium danger,” will be confined in the Gaza Strip.

Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio in Israel and apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine, confirmed the decisive role of mediation played by Cardinal Etchegaray in a statement broadcast by the Vatican Radio.

According to Archbishop Sambi, the cardinal “was of decisive importance in making almost visible John Paul II’s daily concern, his word, his prayer to reach a solution to the problem of Bethlehem.”

The Papal Envoy “succeeded in making it visible not only to the Christian world of the Holy Land, and to the universal Christian world, but also to the Israeli and Palestinian authorities,” said the archbishop, who was the cardinal’s host last week.

During his stay, Cardinal Etchegaray met with Israeli President Moshe Katsav and with President Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian National Authority.