The Security Council will reconvene here tomorrow on the Syrian and Israeli complaints, charging each other with aggression in the November 13 incident along Israel’s northern border, when Israeli aircraft silenced Syrian gun posts which caused four Israeli deaths and much damage in three Israeli settlements.
Nine members of the 11-member Council are still to address the body, and a resolution dealing with the affair is expected to be presented tomorrow. The consensus here today was that, whatever resolution is brought in, the Security Council will probably call on both sides to intensify their cooperation with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization for the restoration of tranquility in the Syrian-Israeli border area.
At Friday’s sessions of the Council, Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative here, told the body that his Government has authorized him to announce that Israel is prepared to agree to a continuation of a survey of a border path which Israel insists is entirely within its jurisdiction. The path is the spot where an Israeli border patrol drew first fire from Syrian positions on November 13, according to the report submitted to the Council by Lt. Gen. Odd Bull, UNTSO chief of staff.
Mr. Comay spoke about a half hour after Rafik Asha, Syria’s Ambassador, had taken two hours to develop wide-ranging charges of aggression against Israel. Dey Ould Sidi Baba, the only Arab member of the Council, fully supported Mr. Asha’s statements, demanding condemnation of Israel.
The only other Security Council member who has thus far addressed the body on the Syrian-Israeli issue was Lord Caradon, the former Hugh Foot, Britain’s new permanent representative here. In his maiden speech at any UN body since he assumed his post here, Lord Caradon pleaded with both sides to help tranquilize the border area. “We are gathered,” he told the Council, “not to condemn but to conciliate.” Lord Caradon’s statement was the first indication of the new British Labor Government’s position regarding an Israeli-Arab flare-up of fighting.
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