United Nations Emergency Force: Fourth Report of the Secretary-General (A/4210)

by United Nations

Introduction

1. This report on the United Nations Emergency Force, submitted in pursuance of General Assembly resolution 1125 (XI), paragraph 4, covers the functioning of the Force since 27 August 1958, when the last report on UNEF was made to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General.

2. The period covered by this report has been, in general, one of continuing quiet along the entire line between Egypt and Israel - a condition attributable, in no small measure, to the presence of UNEF. Here is renewed testimony to the effectiveness in the performance of its task which the UNEF operation has demonstrated from the beginning. For there can be little doubt that were it not for this peace force along the long line from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, the likelihood of disturbances in that area would be greatly increased. It would follow, of course, that the cumulative effect of numerous incidents along the line would probably soon attain a seriousness for overshadowing the effort and expense now involved in the maintenance of the Force. The success of UNEF notwithstanding, the attention of the Assembly must be seriously called to the fact that the operation is now in a crucial stage, owing to several factors. In the first place, in present circumstances, it is difficult to foresee when UNEF might be withdrawn without inviting the risk of dangerous consequences. Moreover, there is no further possibility of achieving substantial economies in the cost of the Force, since it cannot carry out its responsibilities as now defined at less than its present strength. The unquestionable need, therefore, for the time being, is to maintain the Force at the minimum strength consistent with the performance of its task. But the funds necessary for this purpose have not been forthcoming from the Member Governments. The financial aspects of this situation are dealt with specifically in part B of this report.

A. Organization and Functioning of the Force

I. Effectiveness and Organization

3. In the year under review, the operation of UNEF has continued to be directed at the maintenance of peace and quiet in the area. Few serious incidents have occurred in this period, although there have been situations, which, in the absence of a restraining influence, could readily have assumed serious proportions. Under the continuing command of Lieutenant General E.L.M. Burns, the sound organization and smooth functioning of the Force have been maintained. There have been no major changes in its organization, stationing or functioning. A moderate reduction in its overall strength was achieved by replacing only partially the Colombian contingent which was withdrawn on 28 October 1958, and by a small scaling down in the ordnance and signals detachments.

4. The total strength of the Force, following the withdrawal of the Colombian contingent, was, as of April 1959, approximately 5,000 officers and other ranks. Since then, through partially replacing the Colombians by an increase of approximately 300, all ranks, in the Scandinavian contingents, the Force has been maintained at approximately 5,350 officers and other ranks. Brazil, Canada, Denmark, India, Norway, Sweden and Yugoslavia are the countries now participating in the Force.

5. The present strength of the Force makes seventy-one platoons available for patrol and guard duty on the armistice demarcation line (ADL), international frontier (IF) and elsewhere. The strength of each platoon varies from twenty-six to thirty-nine, all ranks. Approximately 2,500 officers and men are this available for active duty, the rest of the Force consisting of support units.

6. The Commander firmly takes the position, which is endorsed by United Nations Headquarters, that the Force must be maintained at its present level if it is to continue to carry out its mission with the same degree of effectiveness which has characterized the operation thus far, and that to protect its record any further reduction in its numbers should be accompanied by an appropriate redefinition of function and responsibility. The Commander's view is supported by the fact that incidents did increase in those parts of the line where manpower shortage was mainly felt during the period between the withdrawal of the Colombian contingent and its partial replacement by the increased number of Scandinavian troops.

7. The numerical strength of each national contingent as of 1 August 1959 was as follows:

Contingents	Officers	Other ranks	Total	Notes
Brazil	39	609	648
Canada	86	897	983	Including personnel of the RCAF 115 ATU stationed at El Arish (93, all ranks).
Denmark	36	512	548
India	69	1,105	1,174	Including Administrative Troops (249, all ranks).
Norway	85	518	603	Including personnel of the Norwegian-manned UNEF Hospital (127, all ranks).
Sweden	39	620	659
Yugoslavia	75	644	719
Total	429	4,905	5,334

8. The rotation policies of the contributing nations have continued without change since the previous report. From the inception of the Force, the various contingents have been rotated as follows:

Canada and India: Twice (yearly rotation)

Brazil: Four times (yearly basis, with half the contingent rotating each six months)

Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Yugoslavia: Five times (half-yearly rotation)

9. The Scandinavian rotations during the year have been transported by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), using DC 6-B aircraft, in special flights to El Arish, and take approximately one month. The 307 additional troops in the new Scandinavian contingents were carried by SAS regular flights to Cairo and Beirut. The personnel landing in Cairo were taken to Gaza by train, while those landing in Beirut were brought in by UNEF aircraft in eight special flights. The rotating Brazilian, Indian and Yugoslav contingents are normally carried by sea. The next rotation of the Brazilian contingent is scheduled for October and, as in previous years, a Brazilian naval vessel will be used to carry the troops each way. The voyage by sea takes approximately three weeks in each direction. The next rotation of the Indian and Yugoslav contingents is to take place in November and December, respectively. As in previous years, the Government of India is making arrangements for the charter of a vessel to carry the rotating Indian troops. Arrangements for the next rotation of the Yugoslav contingent are also underway and the rotating troops will again be carried by a Yugoslav commercial vessel chartered by the Government, with a small advance party transported by Yugoslav military aircraft. The main body of the Canadian contingent is rotated by RCAF North Star aircraft during September, October and November of each year. Twenty special flights from Montreal to El Arish and return were completed in 1958 and a like number is anticipated for the rotation in the fall of 1959. The Canadian reconnaissance squadron is rotated during the month of February, and four special RCAF North Star Flights are required for this operation. North Star aircraft fly in and out of El Arish regularly.

10. There has been no change in the strength, organization and functioning of the 115 Air Transport Unit (RCAF) during this year. The number of aircraft employed remains at three Dakotas and four Otters. Personnel strength continues to be twenty officers and seventy-three other ranks, although as of 12 August 1959, the commanding officer of the unit becomes a wing commander instead of a squadron leader.

II. Deployment

11. The major deployment of UNEF, still on the western side of the armistice demarcation line only, continues to be along the Egypt-Israeli armistice demarcation line and along the international frontier to the south of the Gaza Strip. These two lines total 273 kilometres in length. The Force also has a watching interest over the coastline of the Sinai Peninsula from the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba to the Strait of Tiran, a further distance of 187 kilometres.

12. The positions and assignments of units of the Force are changed by the Commander from time to time. As of 1 August of this year, their deployment was as indicated below.

Gaza Strip

Four battalions are deployed along the armistice demarcation line and have areas of responsibility corresponding with the police districts of the civil administration, this arrangement facilitating closer liaison and cooperation between the police and UNEF at the battalion level. The units in the Gaza Strip are deployed as follows:

Sector 1 (from sea to Gaza-Beersheba road) - Danish/Norwegian Battalion (DANOR). Three rifle companies man twenty-two observation posts on the ADL, which in this sector is 18 kilometres long.

Sector 2 (from Gaza-Beersheba road to Wadi Ghreza) - Swedish. Two rifle companies man fourteen observation posts on the ADL, which in this sector runs for 11 kilometres.

Sector 3 (Deir-el-Balah) - Indian. Three rifle companies man eighteen observation posts on the ADL, which in this sector has a length of 12 kilometres.

Sectors 4 and 5 (Khen Younis, Rafah) - Brazilian. Three rifle companies man nineteen observation posts on the ADL, which in this sector is 18 kilometres in length.

International Frontier

The international frontier is watched over by the Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron and the Yugoslav Reconnaissance Battalion, deployed as follows:

Canadian. Headquarters is at Rafah. There are two outposts which send out patrols along the line. The responsibility of the unit extends up to but is exclusive of the road Abu Aweigila/El Auja.

Yugoslav. Their responsibility extends from the road Abu Aweigila/El Auja to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Battalion has its headquarters and one company at El Arish, and also has platoon camps and outposts at El Amr, El Saba, El Quseima, El Kuntilla and Ras El Naqb.

Guards and Detachments

Guards and detachments are stationed as follows:

Headquarters UNEF. The Swedish Battalion provides a detachment for guard duties at UNEF headquarters.

Rafah Maintenance Area. One company and a platoon of the Swedish Battalion are guarding the perimeter of the Rafah maintenance area, providing numerous sentries and patrols to prevent thefts which have followed any relaxation of vigilance, despite a perimeter fence.

El Arish. Guards for the UNEF air station and the RCAF quarters are furnished by the Yugoslav Reconnaissance and DANOR Battalions.

Sharm el Sheikh. A detachment of the DANOR Battalion is stationed at Sharm el Sheikh and Ras Nasrani to observe traffic through the Strait of Tiran.

UNEF Warehouse. A small detachment of the DANOR Battalion is assigned to guard duty at the UNEF port warehouse.

13. Prior to withdrawal, the Colombian Battalion was responsible for sector 4, deploying one company and four platoons on the ADL. When the Colombian contingent was withdrawn, the Brazilian Battalion took over part of this sector, as well as continuing to cover sector 5 and Rafah Camp and to provide the small guard detachment for the port warehouse. The Indian Battalion took over the other part of sector 4. The Commander reports that it was then found that both the Brazilian and Indian Battalions were employed to an extreme limit, the men having no time for proper rest or relaxation. In order to reduce the number of men required for ADL duty under these circumstances, observation was carried out temporarily by mobile patrols instead of from fixed observation posts.

14. In April and May, the DANOR and Swedish Battalions were each increased by the equivalent of a company. The Brazilian Battalion subsequently was relieved of its guard duties at the Rafah maintenance area and the warehouse, and it and the Indian Battalion assumed the tasks described in paragraph 12 above.

15. The system of mobile patrols by vehicles during the day introduced in sectors 4 and 5 by the Brazilian and Indian Battalions economized on manpower, but it was found that the ADL could not be kept under constant and full observation by this means and hence was less effectively controlled against infiltrators. During the crop seasons in March and April, infiltrators often seek to cross the ADL in large numbers, if mainly to cut grass. Hence, it was found that the observation post system had to be reinstituted so as to keep a constant watch on the movements of local inhabitants in the vicinity of the ADL. Since the reactivation of the observation posts, made possible by the increase of strength in the Scandinavian contingents, no further infiltrations of importance have occurred.

III. Daily Routine

Armistice Demarcation Line

16. Observation posts on the armistice demarcation line are normally manned in daytime by two men each, whose daily tour of duty is approximately six hours, the individuals taking turns within the six hours. The observation posts are in all cases intervisible and thus movement at any point along the ADL can be observed. To provide support for the observation posts when needed, a mobile reserve is maintained at company or platoon headquarters. This support is needed, for example, when, as does happen, local inhabitants in numbers too large for the two sentries along to deal with them try to cross the ADL to harvest grass or crops. The mobile reserve is so organized as to be able to reach a trouble spot within ten to fifteen minutes after being summoned. Each observation post is connected by line telephone with neighboring observation posts and platoon/company headquarters. This facilitates the observation and apprehension of infiltrators. At night, the men in the observation posts are withdrawn and patrols are sent out. There are numerous patrols nightly in each sector and each patrol is along the line for from three to five hours. During the night, also, reserves are maintained at platoon headquarters. A system of flare signals enables patrols to call for help from the reserves, when necessary. This is supplemented by radio communication which keeps the platoon/company commanders informed of the activities of the patrol.

17. The Brazilian, DANOR, Indian and Swedish Battalions dispose of fifty-seven platoons for duty along the ADL and provide guards and detachments, as noted in paragraph 12 above. About seven of the fifty-seven platoons are held in battalion reserve, which is also the Force reserve to provide against emergencies and to allow for some training. The average platoon strength is thirty-nine, all ranks.

International Frontier

18. Experience has shown that only certain areas along the international frontier are so sensitive as to require constant patrolling and observation. Rough terrain and other conditions limit the possibility of infiltration along many sectors of the IF. The policy of the Force is to patrol daily in certain areas which are sensitive and where vehicles can travel without too great difficulty. In other sectors along the IF which, though sensitive, offer very rough going for surface vehicles, numerous air reconnaissance are made at varying times, while ground patrols are sent out only from one to three times a week. In addition to this, camps and observation posts are established at especially sensitive sports, to observe the IF and to maintain mobile reserves which can be dispatched speedily to any trouble spot. A system of wireless communication links the Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron and the Yugoslav Reconnaissance Battalion with aircraft engaged in air reconnaissance, and with the Brazilian Battalion which is observing the ADL adjoining the IF. This facilitates the quick and immediate transmission of messages warning of any suspicious movements, and thus enables the reserves to be sent to the spot where trouble has occurred or is anticipated.

19. The Canadian Reconnaissance Squadron disposes of three troops of sixteen, all ranks, each for duty along its sector of the IF. The Yugoslav Reconnaissance Battalion has ten platoons for duty on the IF, for guard duty at El Arish and to provide a small reserve. Platoon strength is twenty-six, all ranks.

20. The Commander of the Force finds that the present allotment of operational troops meets the essential requirements of the UNEF mission, the sectors allotted now being within the capability of the battalions.

21. In this regard, economy in the use of military manpower has been effected not alone by replacing only 307 of the Colombian contingent of 522, but also by a reduction of sixty-one, all ranks, in the ordnance and signals detachments. Moreover, a large number of civilian personnel, recruited locally, continue to carry out essential duties, many of which would be performed by soldiers in the usual military organization. The main categories of a civilian personnel are as follows: subordinate administrative functionaries, clerks, secretaries, typists, draughtsmen, building tradesmen, motor mechanics and maintenance men, cooks and cooks' helpers and labourers (construction and maintenance). It is estimated by UNEF headquarters that approximately 1,000 additional military personnel would be needed to carry out the work not being done by this locally recruited personnel.

IV. Well-Being

22. The general state of well-being of the Force continues to be excellent. The health record has been consistently good since the inception of the Force. The hospital situated at Rafah which, prior to 1 March 1959, had been operated jointly by Canadian and Norwegian personnel, since that date has been staffed entirely by Norwegian personnel. The Canadian medical complement of four officers and fifteen other ranks operates a medical inspection room for the Canadian troops.

23. The number of officers and other ranks hospitalized in the UNEF hospital during the period 1 August 1958 to 1 August 1959 totals 1,080, while twenty-seven cases requiring specialized treatment have been hospitalized outside of the area during the same period. Of those admitted to the UNEF hospital, the main causes of hospitalization have been: diseases of the digestive system, enteric fevers and appendicitis included; injuries; observation; fevers without special location (supposedly caused by viruses); acute respiratory infections; rheumatic diseases (rheumatic fever, lumbago, sciatica, etc.); and skin infections.

24. As a general policy, patients with chronic illnesses have been repatriated on recommendation of the UNEF medical board. In special cases, patients have been kept in the UNEF hospital if transfer of the patient has been considered difficult for medical reasons. The UNEF medical board considered a total of eighty-four such cases during the period from 1 August 1958 to 1 August 1959.

25. In addition to military personnel, 371 civilian patients were treated in the UNEF hospital during the period from 1 August 1958 to 10 June 1959, most of whom were United Nations staff and local employees. There have also been treated at the hospital a number of local inhabitants suffering from acute illnesses and injuries due to accidents.

26. Since the beginning of UNEF, there have been thirty-four fatalities distributed among all but the Finns of the ten original contingents, and resulting chiefly from encounters with mines, accidental shootings and traffic accidents.

27. The leave center at Cairo opened on 31 October 1958 and closed on 3 May 1959, during which period 362 officers and 6,062 other ranks took leaves at the Center. The leave centers at Beirut, with a capacity of twenty officers and 280 other ranks, re-opened on 18 May 1959. A contract has been awarded to Middle East Airlines to transport UNEF leave personnel between El Arish and Beirut, calling for a maximum of ten flights per week, carrying twenty-eight passengers per flight. UNEF aircraft will be used to transport leave personnel over and above 280, the maximum to be carried by UNEF per week being forty.

28. The high morale of the Force has continued. The welfare programme, which continues to be an important factor in the maintenance of morale, embraces a number of activities of which sports is the most ambitious, including tournaments in basketball, football, volleyball, chess, badminton, tennis, table tennis, darts, swimming, squash and golf. Other activities include a cultural exchange programme; life-saving classes; schedules of film showings for units; organized tours (at individual expense) to Jerusalem, Cairo, Alexandria, St. Catherine's Monastery, El Alamein, Luxor and Beirut; leave center welfare programme; projectionist courses; United Nations-Week programme, Christmas programme, including supple of Christmas trees and decorations; loan service of radios, slide projectors, tape recorders and other welfare equipment; greeting and Christmas cards supply and sale; United Nations Relief and Works Agency projects (on voluntary basis); religious programme brochures supplied for Christmas and Easter in cooperation with chaplains.

29. Several suggestions for the improvement of the welfare service are under review, such as an increase in the number of live entertainment programmes; an increase in the number of weekly motion picture films, covering the supply of films with English captions from non-English speaking countries, including those represented by contingents in UNEF; the establishment of battalion "hobby shops" with the supply of necessary equipment and material; the possibility of providing free sightseeing tours at the leave centers, and increased amounts of welfare equipment and supplies. The expansion of activities in the welfare programme must, of necessity, be dictated by financial considerations, but it is thought that some of the suggestions outlined above might be financed, in part, from proceeds of the service institutes.

V. Logistics

30. Generally speaking, the ration scales put into effect in May 1958 have proved adequate. Several minor changes have been made, and additional items have been added to provide variety in dessert items. Dried skim milk is now included in the ration scale, to provide an additional source of vitamin A as well as milk for cereals.

31. Dietary needs and preferences of certain contingents sometimes change on rotation when the personnel come from different parts of the country. For example, recently it has been necessary to provide butter ghee and to make certain other rations changes to provide an adequate diet for vegetarians in the present Indian contingent.

32. Adequate refrigeration has now been provided in the supply depot in support of the effort to serve fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year. It is hoped that this measure will provide a more acceptable diet and also reduce the cost of rations by eliminating or reducing the need for imported canned items. Steps are also being taken to improve the sanitary conditions under which bread is produced and delivered.

33. Ration scales and issue items are kept under constant review to ensure that food of the best possible quality, variety and nutritional value is served to the Force.

34. During the year under review, the average sea cargo has been 1,435 long tons per month, and 440 ships have unloaded stores for UNEF at Port Said. In addition, 305 tons were carried by air. During this same period, 102.9 tons of general stores were received from the United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon together with 35 quarter-ton utility trucks, 18 water trailers and 2 station wagons.

VI. Local Arrangements

35. On the whole, the relations between UNEF and the local population continue to be satisfactory. In addition to occasional acts of theft and pilferage, however, there have been a few instances of temporary friction between local groups and UNEF personnel engaged in performing their duty.

VII. Incidents

36. As reported from all sources, the type and number of incidents which occurred between 1 August 1958 and 31 July 1959, are shown in the chart below:

Type of Incident	August 1958	September 1958	October 1958	November 1958	December 1958	January 1959	February 1959	March 1959	April 1959	May 1959	June 1959	July 1959
Involving mines	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Crossing of ADL involving firing	4	0	1	5	1	0	7	0	1	1	0	0
Firing across ADL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0
Crossing of ADL involving theft or occasionally kidnapping	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	3	8	10	8	1
Crossings, or attempted crossings of ADL not involving firing, theft or kidnapping	5	6	10	12	7	5	5	7	3	6	8	6
Totals	9	6	11	17	8	6	13	11	14	17	18	7

Total incidents: 137

The total of 137 incidents reported for the twelve months may be compared with the 95 which occurred in the ten and one half months period covered by last year's report. All but a very few of these later incidents, however, have been of a minor nature. Of this year's total, 125 were confirmed by UNEF; 5 were reported by the United Arab Republic (UAR), and investigated and confirmed by the Egypt-Israeli Mixed Armistice Commission (EIMAC); and 7 were reported by the UAR but were not confirmed by either EIMAC or UNEF.

37. Based on figures from UNEF headquarters, which include complaints presented by both parties as well as observations independently made by UNEF, a total of 452 violations of airspace by identified planes and a total of thirty-nine such violations by unidentified planes occurred in the period from 1 August 1958 to 31 July 1959. Of these, thirteen were by aircraft of the United Arab Republic (UAR) overflying on the Israeli side of the line, the others involving Israeli aircraft overflying Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula. All of the instances of unidentified aircraft also involved overflights on the UAR side. Of the identified planes, 410 were observed by UNEF, twenty-two were reported by the UAR and confirmed by UNEF, and twenty were reported by the UAR but not confirmed by UNEF. UNEF headquarters reports that 374 of the UNEF-observed violations by Israeli aircraft involved overflights in the northeast corner of the Gaza Strip by aircraft coming from the Israeli aerodrome of Wadi Sharia. It is added that this airfield is only some twenty kilometers southeast of Gaza and that the prevailing wind is such that jet aircraft in taking off head in a direction which may take them over the northeast corner of the Strip. Strong representations about such repeated violations have been made and in recent weeks a notable decrease in this type of activity has been observed.

38. In the same period, a total of 113 violations of territorial waters were observed by the Force, apparently by fishing boats for the most part. Of the total violations, sixty-nine were in UAR waters and forty-four in Israeli waters. Following a United Nations protest, this type of activity has virtually ceased in recent months.

B. Financial Arrangements and Cost Estimates

I. Action by the General Assembly at its Thirteenth Session

39. In resolution 1263 (XIII) of 14 November 1958, the General Assembly, having considered the progress report of the Secretary-General on the United nations Emergency Force, and noting with satisfaction the effective way in which the Force continues to carry out its function, requested the Fifth Committee to recommend such action as may be necessary to finance the continuing operation of the United Nations Emergency Force.

40. In resolution 1337 (XIII) of 13 December 1958, the General Assembly, having examined the budget estimates for the Force submitted by the Secretary-General for the year 1958 and for the year 1959, and having considered the observations and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the estimates in its reports, (1) confirmed its authorization to the Secretary-General to expend up to a maximum of $25 million for the operation of the United Nations Emergency Force during 1958; (2) authorized the Secretary-General to expend up to a maximum of $19 million for the continuing operation of the Force during 1959; (3) approved the observations and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on the estimates for 1958 and 1959; (4) decided that the expenses authorized for 1959, less any amounts pledged or contributed by Governments of Member States as special assistance prior to 31 December 1958, shall be borne by Members of the United Nations in accordance with the scale of assessments adopted by the General Assembly for the financial year 1959; (5) requested the Secretary-General to consult with the Governments of Member States with respect to their views concerning the manner of financing the Force in the future, and to submit a report together with the replies to the General Assembly at its fourteenth session.

II. UNEF Assessments and Collection of Contributions as at 31 July 1959

41. UNEF assessments approved by the General Assembly for the three years 1957-1959 totaled $55,233,988. As at 31 July 1959, the amount of contributions collected, including credits, totaled $34,402,366, leaving a balance due of $20,831,622, or 37.7 per cent of the total amount assessed. The assessments, collections and balances due for each year are shown below (as at 31 July 1959):

Year	Assessments	Collections	Balance due
1957	$15,028,988	$10,295,843	$4,733,145
1958	$25,000,000	$16,546,627	$8,473,373
1959	$15,205,000	$7,579,896	$7,625,104
Total	$55,233,988	$34,402,366	$20,831,622

42. The record of payments follows. Twenty-seven Member Governments have made no payment of their 1957 assessments and eleven others have made only partial payments. Thirty-nine Members have made no payment of their 1958 assessments and four have made partial payments. Sixty-one Members have made no payment of their 1959 assessments and two have made partial payments.

III. UNEF Cash Position as at 31 July 1959 and Estimated Cash Receipts, Disbursements and Additional Requirements for the Remainder of 1959

43. As at 31 July 1959 UNEF's cash balance totaled $1.6 million of which $1.0 million represented advances from the United Nations Working Capital Fund.

44. Estimated collections during the remaining five months of 1959 total $7.7 million, of which $3.9 million relate to assessments and $3.8 million to special assistance.

45. Cash disbursements during the remaining five months of 1959 will total an estimated $12.9 million. Payments of this amount would result in a cash deficit at 31 December 1959 of $6.2 million.

46. On the basis of the above estimates and the estimated costs of UNEF for 1959, unliquidated obligations at 31 December 1959 would total $11 million, loans outstanding from the United Nations Working Capital Fund or other funds in the custody and control of the Secretary-General would total $6.2 million, and arrears of contributions of Member States would total $16.9 million.

IV. 1960 Cost Estimates for the Maintenance of the Force

47. In the introduction to my annual report, I have indicated that the United Nations Emergency Force remains an essential element in the efforts of the United Nations to assist Member States to maintain stable and peaceful conditions in the Middle East and that it is at present impossible to foresee when the operations of the Force might be brought to an end without damage to the valuable results which it has already achieved. Moreover, on the basis of all information available to Headquarters, I accept the view of the Commander of the Force and his military associates that the Force cannot continue to carry out the responsibilities now defined for it if it is reduced below its present strength.

48. Accordingly, I have submitted to the General Assembly my budget estimates (A/4160) for maintaining the Force during 1960 at its present strength in order that the General Assembly, should it so decide, may make appropriate financial provision for the continued operation of UNEF.

49. The 1960 estimates total $18,916,000, which is $453,000 less than the estimate I submitted for the year 1959, and $84,000 below the amount approved for 1959 by the General Assembly at its thirteenth session in resolution 1337 (XIII).

50. These estimates have been examined by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions which has reported thereon to the General Assembly (A/4171).

V. Future Financing Arrangements for UNEF

51. The General Assembly in resolution 1337 (XIII), inter alia, requested the Secretary-General to consult with Member States with respect to their views concerning the manner of financing the Force in the future, and to submit a report together with the replies to the General Assembly at its fourteenth session.

52. My views on this important matter, together with the views of the Member States that have submitted replies in response to my request, are being presented to the General Assembly in a separate report.

53. I am sure Member Governments will appreciate the absolute necessity for ensuring adequate financial support for the continuing operation of UNEF as well as for the payment of contributions now in arrears, since failure to take early and effective action on these matters would seriously jeopardize the financial solvency not only of the force but of the entire Organization.

---

Portal:United Nations Emergency Force I