United Nations truce observer patrols are now on their way to inspect the cease-fire between Israel and Egypt that was reaffirmed last night by the Security Council. Forty-three additional observers are going to be sent to the Middle East in addition to the 280 already there, it was disclosed today by Brian Urquhart, Secretary General Kurt Waldheim’s aide for the Middle East.
In view of the great deal of military activity that is still going on, it is considered here that the task of the observers is very difficult. Observation posts cannot be set up until both Egypt and Israel accept and establish cease-fire lines, according to Urquhart, who added that arrangements to mobilize observers have started on both sides.
Early this morning, Maj. Gen. Ensio Siilasvuo, chief of staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), met in Jerusalem with Defense Minister Moshe Dayan to discuss arrangements for the UN observers. Dayan was contacted by Siilasvuo at 4 a.m. today to determine the arrangements for posting cease-fire observers and to determine the cease-fire lines. Dayan suggested that the truce observers advance along the roads from Cairo to Ismailia and Suez until they encountered advance forces of the Israeli army. Siilasvuo asked for time to study the proposal. In appeared, however, that he accepted it.
(It was reported yesterday in Copenhagen that the defense ministers of Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden have offered to send 5200 men to the Middle East as part of a UN peacekeeping force. Norwegian Defense Minister Alv Jacob Fostervoll made the proposal following a meeting of the defense ministers in Roeros, Norway. He said the men would be available “if the Middle East situation warrants it.”)
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