Units of the Swiss army will maintain security during the United Nations-sponsored conference on Palestine opening here next month, the government announced today.
The army was called in because the local authorities said they could not be responsible for security measures, especially at a time when many of their people would be on vacation. But the Geneva police chief said the army was not an adequate substitute because soldiers are not trained for that kind of work. A spokesman for the armed forces seemed to agree. He told a press conference today that “the army is not really enthusiastic about having to perform the task.”
Units from the Canton of Turgovi will be assigned to guard the airports, frontiers and foreign missions as well as the UN Palaise des Nations where the conference will be held. A special committee was set up of government officials, army officers and the Geneva Canton authorities to coordinate the measures.
The heavy burden of security around a conference considered likely to attract terrorist elements was the official reason given by the French and Austrian governments for refusing to host the conference.
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