Middle East: Security Council renews mandate of UN Golan Heights mission

The United Nations Security Council today renewed the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) established in 1974 to monitor the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights.

Today's resolution calls on the parties concerned to implement immediately the Council's resolution 338 of October 1973, which called on the parties to "cease all firing and terminate all military activity immediately … in the positions they now occupy," to start implementing the ceasefire and to start negotiating for peace in the Middle East.

According to the text, by the end of the renewal period on 31 May 2002, Secretary-General Kofi Annan will report to the Security Council "on the developments in the situation and the measures taken to implement resolution 338 (1973)."

The Council took its action after considering a 15 November report by the Secretary-General. In it, Mr. Annan stressed that "the situation in the Middle East continues to be potentially dangerous and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached."

In a presidential statement read out in an open meeting after the adoption of the resolution, the Security Council said that Mr. Annan's conclusion "reflects the view of the Council."