Continuing Syrian armed attacks in violation of the cease-fire were brought to the attention of Secretary General Kurt Waldheim in a letter from the Israeli Ambassador Yosef Tekoah. Tekoah said that in the period April 22-27 inclusive “Syrian military forces have perpetrated 33 artillery attacks, opened fire with ground-to-air missiles in one case, missile fire in two cases, tank fire in two cases and made one attempt to cross the cease-fire line accompanied by firing across the line.”
Tekoah noted that “these attacks have resulted in casualties” and that they were continuing as of yesterday. “As in the past, this continued aggression constitutes a premeditated and deliberate policy of the Syrian authorities, who proclaim it openly.” Tekoah wrote. He cited an April 27 declaration by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Khaddam, published in the Beirut newspaper el-Diar, to the effect that Syrian military activities were unconnected with the forthcoming visit of Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger to the region and would continue with a view to achieving Syria’s goals.
“In light of these facts, the letters which the Permanent Representative of Syria continues to address to you concerning the situation along the cease-fire line are obviously groundless and I have to stress again Syria’s responsibility for the gravity of that situation,” Tekoah wrote. He requested that his letter be circulated as an official document of the General Assembly and the Security Council.
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