UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim said tonight that he expected the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observers Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights to be extended. But he did not disclose whether he had received a final reply from Syrian President Hafez Assad on that matter. the UNDOF mandate expires Saturday. The UN Security Council is to meet Friday to deal with the renewal of the mandate.
The Secretary General spoke to newsmen after a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon here shortly after his arrival this evening from Damascus. He is scheduled to meet with Premier Yitzhak Rabin and other Israeli officials before he leaves for Cairo tomorrow.
He described his two-hour talk with Allon as “very constructive, and I am very pleased.” He said they had “discussed an extension of the UN mandate u well as the overall Middle East situation” and added, “I expect the mandate will be extended in view of my talks in Damascus.” He said, In reply to a question, that there would be no change in the terms of the mandate.
On his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport earlier, Waldheim said the Middle East situation was very serious and “we must do everything possible to emerge from the present impasse.” He said he hoped his visit to the Middle East would contribute to lessening tension in the region.
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