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UN observers to remain on Israel-Syria border
UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Friday authorized a UN observer force to remain another six months in the Golan Heights, where it has served as a buffer between the Syrian and Israeli armies for 31 years. The 15-nation council unanimously adopted a resolution prolonging the mandate of the force of 1,028 soldiers through Dec. 31 after both Israel and Syria gave their consent.The UN Disengagement Observer Force, known as UNDOF, was created in May 1974 to monitor a cease-fire and troop disengagement agreement that followed the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. In that war, Israel repulsed an attempt by Arab states to take back land, including the Golan Heights, which the Jewish state had captured in the six-day 1967 Middle East war. UNDOF's mandate would have expired at the end of June without the Security Council's approval. Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported to the Security Council earlier this month that the area remained "generally quiet" in the past six months except in the disputed Shebaa Farms border enclave. But he said he considered the force's continued presence to be essential. "The situation in the Middle East is very tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached," he said. Posted by: Steve White 2005-06-18 |
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