UN Secretariat Item Scan - Barcode - Record Title Page 56 Date 16/05/2006 Time 4:44:18 PM S-0861-0004-01-00001 Expanded Number S-0861 -0004-01 -00001 Title items-in-Peace-keeping operations - Middle East - press clippings Date Created 25/03/1966 Record Type Archival Item Container s-0861-0004: Peace-Keeping Operations Files of the Secretary-General: U Thant: Middle East Print Name of Person Submit Image Signature of Person Submit THEJ1EW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY JULY 20, «67 Mideast Mediator Odd Bull T> ECENTLY Lieut Gen Odd •Cv Bull was asked to de- scribe bis concept. of the role: of a United Nations mediator ' He replied that "one should have the .same conception of him on both sides . of tl$e border" and that he should "be "equally ^ unpopular m both camps, but respected " The GO-yeariold Alan • Norwegian -officer in the has partly 11 . succeeded m his •News •' role as commander • . of the United Na- tions. ,:Tnice SupervisionJ.Or- ganizatiqn, ' which has ...the- neW'Vtask fit observing the Suez'--Can'al,:ceast.' Ine He is, respected oft both sides, but' he isJpQpular. "I. Want to-be strictly neu- tral," "lie explained "Nobody would like anything else fic-m rae." General Bull -has.,been.'abl'e to maintain his neutial posi- tion through a long, tense "A'slocwted Pie s period in .the Middle East: He commands respect, I The general, who-camft'to enjoys popularity. ' the region four years ago, is regarded by many as tlie -best lans in Van •agreement that of the United Nations ob- surprised many. •Israelis.-vThe servers. If there is any exchange came on'the heels criticism of him, it is that of a visit to Damascus by the he leans too heavily on general, and'it was the first advisers, some of whom have such in nearly three years. been- here for 19 years, since Born at .Bodo, in north the end of the first Arab-Is- . Norway,, on June 28, 1907, raeli war, and who are the General Bull was graduated butts of Israeli criticism from the Army School in Oslo aimed at the United Nations. in 1928 and two years later 'Vested Interest' Discerned became a military ' aviator. The criticism, which is During World "War II he never directed at the general served in: Britain, command- personally, is to the effect ing two Norwegian fighter 'that his advisers haye ac- squadrons, and in Canada, ;iqiiired "a vested interest in where he commanded a'train^ St-h'e-area." The Israeli officials ing camp for Norwegian; ?often speak bitterly, but only soldiers for a time. • , .- ^privately, of United Nations .After the war. General Bull1; .^observers who, they .believe, was appointed air commander/.' "are disinclined 'to charge in central Norway and then.:; nb.ordering Arab states with undertook two years of prs,4 •arontier violations because ganizational and staff workf j- the evidence would not be at air force headquarters dti'« .x sufficient in a court of law. Oslo. He became air ford.e:} ftU.O'dd Bull— his first name Chief of Staff in 1948, •Air,;. vmcans "point of a knife" in Commander.of northern'HO?-'' "Norwegian and Bull is an "way in 1953, with the rank faf-.y old Anglo-Saxon family name major general, and Air ConV/ /not uncommon in Norway — rnander of-Norway in 1956-i';'"!. Vis a tall, slender, blue-eyed, He traveled widely in'Eu-j "'"gVa^'ing man with a sgldier's rope and served, as Deputy.; .^caring. Quiet and with an Chief of Staff in the Atlantic,;' vappearance of being pleasant- Alliance's command " 'K'Kfc ' ly.^conf ident, he chats easily Northern Europe, a position;*: and is a good yn'ij.er although . that- gave him experience'dn;^ he rarely grants interviews. dealing with people of differ^, . The general is known as a ent nationalities and.tempj5r-r$ good: and firm leader of men arijents. ::• '•• • • "- •• ' "" who is quick to 'take the in-. : 'Something'Called Truth'"- itiative in new, situations. :. 'One of his "United Nations An outdoor type, he' is fond associates described'him as'a of skiing. : •• ; man who is "quiet and cool," He lias a sense of humor . haiidly likely,to .leap to, sud-, I about his name, which at- den conclusions or be swayed' tracts attention when-"he is by emotional appeals. Ratherf. introduced. At a lawn party. he listens carefully and then at . the United States Con- goes out into the field to sulate in .Jerusalem; he was 'look. V •'•• ''•'' ••• , ' s '' ' once heard to say drily, "It's ' .General'Bull believes that not such an odd name where there "is something" called I come from." . the truth" and'that this truth, Went to Region in 1958 advance'! in good' conscience His first assignment in the by a neutral third party, Middle East was as chief of should be recognized as truth the United Nations observer by both sides in a dispute. corps in Lebanon in 1958 General Bull and his family after the withdrawal of forces. livfe in Government House, sent by the United States to which, until . 1948, when, counteract threats to the re- the British left Palestine, wa's publican regime. His job was the residence of the British to insure against the illegal Governor • General or High passage of arms and men Commissioner. The stately across the Lebanese frontiers, structure, in placid solitude at that time a pioneering in the former" no man's land United Nations venture. between Jordan and Israel, | "I remember the first time commands much of Jerusalem. in Lebanon as a confus- The area has been known j ing one, bvifc conditions since Biblical times as the ; straightened out there Hill of Evil Counsel. quickly and in six months The closest the family il w;is till over." lie recalled, came to danger during Gen- adding with a smile: "It was eral Bull's years of border | unr of 1h'' few U.N. laslis mediation was on June 5, the ! which were completed." day the brief Arab-Israeli war He \vas chosen by Dag broke out, when a Jordanian Hammerskjold, who was Sec- force took the house and retary General at the time, then lost it to a fierce Israeli "simply because he is a very attack/ good and experienced mili- " With him were his wife, tary man." Inga-Lisa, and his 12-year-old A job' such as General son, Odd Jr., and an Arctic Bull's is often measured in dog, Kim, a Samoyed, trained such little victories. Last for herding reindeer and pull- August, for example, four Is- ing sleds. It is; expected that raelis who had been in Syrian in about two weeks Kim -will prisons for up. to 12 years be back home,"in what i> no were exchanged for six Syr- . longer no man's land. NEW YORK Vims, Wednesday, 26 July r?uly 171967: High Point of Goldbergs 2 would push its advantage too toward the establishment of the in accord with this approach, i By DREW MIDDLETON bly and has -held 735 confer- far. They were anxious lest the rule of law. his delegation is composed of ences witlr threads of other •;•• Special to The New York Times Russians, after their diplomatic Two years' dealings with 121 diplomats of great experience ^UNITED NATIONS, N. Y., delegations.and members of the defeat over the Middle East, nations have convinced him and industry. Secretariat. July 25—Arthur J. Goldberg felt it necessary to make trou- that, under present circum- His own industry is reflected ' Whs appointed United States ble elsewhere to recoup their stances, the United Nations can in the record of two years' . The.,,.--•-• social side-o•f his worlf representative at the United prestige. not substitute for the foireigi n stewardship. He has made 36lnas '"eluded 1^4; events, from Nations two years ago toraor- But Mr. Goldberg showed policy of a great power but policy statements that have|breakfast meetings .to cruises,' riSw. It is unlikely that his as- that it "has an impact" on signment has given him a more goodwill, the diplomats say. that been repeated in the weekly involving ll,'71ojguests. Moreover, the Russians' initia- policy. His attitude, he con- Department of State 'Bulletin. Despit^—•••*e- the.'iudps^- <f-£-j--i •«!=his- apti-j satisfying moment that that at cedes, has changed in those One, "Initiative for Peace," de- 4*P.M. on July 17, when the tive, when it became known, tude for behindsther.scenes ne- regained some of the position two years. livered to the General Assem- gotiation has ibrpught Mm, Am- Soviet Ambassador to the bly on Sept. 22, 1966, remains ; United States, Anatoly F. Dob- they lost through their there- The United States approach bassador Goldberg 'Still 'enjoys tofore-inflexible 'Stand. to. United Nations issues, he be- the basic American doc'»nent most those moments when .the r$nin, arrived at the United .ore on the Johnson Admmis- States mission looking for help. After two years at the Unit- lieves, must be tinner and mi President of the'Assembly calls ''Mr. Goldberg's subsequent ed Nations, the American Am- expert. This acknowledges tration s approach to peace in on him. But hislcolleagues- -say bassador is unlikely, as he says, fact of United Nations life: ~The Vietnam, the problem posed in they would enjoy his speeches assistance to Mr. Dobrynin and the United Nations by Chinese Foreign Minister Andrei A. to "confuse a change in the American delegation can no more if they were shorter, i weather with a change in di- longer rely on a bloc of allied representation and the need for "There's no reason why Gromyko in drafting a resolu- the rule of law in' space.