The commander of UNEF, Finnish Gen. Ensio Siilasvuo, said today he had seen “a very definite change in attitude” on the parts of Israel and Egypt towards each other during recent weeks. Reporting to newsmen here on the completion of the fifth and last stage of troop disengagement, Siilasvuo said his contacts with political and military authorities on both sides showed him there was now more confidence than before–and this augured well for the future.
The General said he was “very happy with the progress of the disengagement which had proceeded with no problems whatsoever” and it was “very reassuring to see how both parties had complied with the agreement to the letter.” He expressed hope the disengagement would be a first step to peace. Siilasvuo has been involved in UN peace-keeping in the Mideast for nearly two decades, having been a member of the 1957 UNEF force. On Wednesday, UNEF will make its first full-scale inspection of the two “limited forces zones” on either side of UNEF’s own buffer zone–and Siilasvuo will present the inspectors’ reports to the two parties.
He said UNEF had carried out inspections of the various disengagement stages and made its reports–and the parties had no complaints, He said the full-scale inspections of the two zones would be done at regular intervals–the duration of which he did not specify. A machinery would remain for tripartite Israel-Egypt-UNEF liaison officer’s discussions when the need arose. UNEF has invited Jerusalem-based newsmen to tour the area Thursday. The same day a tour will be held for Cairo-based newsmen–but the two groups will not meet. (By David Landau)
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