Burns to Seek Agreement on Strengthening Border Control Measures

Major General E. L. M. Burns, head of the U.N. truce observance organization in Palestine, left New York by air today for Jerusalem to resume his duties with a direct mandate from the U. N. Security Council to try to bring Egypt and Israel to agreement on strengthened border control measures.

Prior to his departure, Gen. Burns conferred with Ambassador Abba S. Eban of Israel, Mr. Eban declined to discuss the subject of their conversation. It was understood, however, that Gen. Burns is taking back with him Israel’s agreement to two of the four control measures he propose – direct communication between local commanders on the Egyptian frontiers and erection of some kind of physical barriers along parts of the frontier.

In a radio interview last night. Gen. Burns stressed his belief that real improvement in the Israel border situation could come only with the will, on both sides, to observe the obligations imposed by the armistice agreements. In the interview, carried by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation network, Gen. Burns described his recommendations for reducing border tension and his plan for mixed Israel-Arab-UN patrols to end mine-laying which he termed the worst border problem.

Asked if he believed the armistice agreements had outlived their usefulness, Gen. Burns replied that while they were not operating very well in some cases, the Mixed Armistice Commissions did provide the only means of contact between Israel and the Arab states.

The prevailing situation, he said, was “somewhere between peace and war,” adding that there must be movement in one direction or the other and thus far there has been no progress toward peace.