Security Council renews mandate of UN force in Golan Heights
The Security Council today agreed to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), its peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, for another six months.
The Security Council today agreed to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), its peacekeeping operation in the Golan Heights, for another six months.
Council members voted unanimously to adopt a resolution extending UNDOF – which was established in May 1974 following the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces after the 1973 war – through 31 December.
The vote follows a recent report to the Council by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in which he said the situation in the Middle East is tense and likely to remain so, until a comprehensive settlement covering the region’s problems can be reached.
Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, read out a statement to the press on behalf of the 15-member panel in which he said the Council backed Mr. Ban’s position.
In his report the Secretary-General urged Israel and Syria to resume peace negotiations as soon as possible. An earlier set of indirect talks that were initiated by Turkey were discontinued in 2008.
As of last month UNDOF was comprised of 1,043 troops from six countries and the operation is led by Major General Natalio Ecarma III of the Philippines.