Distr. GENERAL S/11248 1 April 1974 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH REPORT OF TKE SECRETARY-GENERALON THE UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCYFORCE (for the period 26 October 1973 to 1 April 1974) CONTENTS -1P;tpe INTRODUCTION ............................... 3 I. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION OF THE FORCE ............. 4 A. Establishment of UNEF ..................... 4 B. Composition .......................... 4 C. Functions and guidelines .................... 5 II. DEPLOYMENTAND LOGISTICS ...................... 7 A. Deployment ........................... 7 B. Accommodations of the Force .................. 8 C. Logistic support ............. 1 .......... 1.0 III. ACTIVITIES OF THE FORCE ....... f : ............. 1~1 A. Observance of the cease-fire and implemeni;ation of the disengagement Agreement ... ,; ................ 11 B. Negotiations and agreements .................... 1,l (i) Disengagement ....................... :LI (ii) Humanitarian activities and co-operation with the International Comi-ttee of the Red Cross ......... 13 (iii) Exchange of prisoners of war md transfer of civilians . 13 (iv) Convoys of supplies to Egyptian troops on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal and ,to the town o,f Suez ...... 13 (v) Search for bodies ..................... 14 C. Co-operation with UNTSO .................... 1.5 74-07977 I... s/11248 English Page 2 CONTENTS (continued) Page IV. FINANCIAL ASPECTS . ~ . ~ , . 16 V. OBSERVATIONS ~ . 18 MAP. UNEF DEPLOYMENT SITUATION AS OF 1200 GMT 27 MARCH 1974 / . S/11248 English Pace 3 INTRODUCTION 1. This report, which covers the period from the inception of the United Nations tiergency Force (UNEF) on 26 October 1973 to 1 April 1974, presents a summary of developments relating to UNEF on which information was submitted to the Security Council in my progress reports on the Force (s/11056 and Add.l-14), as well as an account of events which have taken place since my last progress report (S/11056/Add.14). The purpose of the report is to provide the Security Council with a comprehensive picture of the activities of UNEF' in pursuance of the mandate laid down by the Council in its resolutions 340 (1973) and 341 (1973) of 25 and 27 October 1973. 2. During this period, the military situation in the area of responsibility of UNEF has passed from one of direct and active militar:r confrontation to the present state of disengagement of forces and of substantial compliance, in the Egypt-Israel sector, with the cease-fire provisions of the Council's resolutions 338 (1973), 339 (1973) and 340 (1973). In this process, the tasks of the Force pursuant to its mandate as approved by the Council have gone through three main phases, first as an interposing force and observation element between the Egyptian and Israeli forces, later in controlling the separation and disengagement process, and at present in manning the zone of disengagement and inspecting the zones of l.imited armaments and forces. In carrying out these tasks, UNEF has played an indispensable role as a peace-keeping instrument. / . S/l1248 English Page 4 I. ESTABLISEMENT AND COMPOSITION OF THE FORCE A. Establishment of lJNEF 3. In my first progress report on 28 October 19'73 (S/11056) I informed the Council that the United Nations Emergency Force, set up by Security Council resolution 340 (1973), had become operational in the evening of 26 October 1973, when Lieutenant-General Ensio Siilasvuo, acting as interim Force Command.er, assumed command over the first elements of the Force. These had been transferred to the mission area from the United Nations Peace.-keeping Force in Cyprus (U!VFICYP) and consisted of Austrian,Finnish and Swedish troops, to which Irish troops from UNFICYP were added as from 30 October. These elements were subsequently brought up to battalion strength by additional troops provided by the four countries. Since that time and at different intervals, six additional contingents, in the order of arrival, those from Peru, Panama, Ghana, Indonesia, Senegal and Nepal, as well as the Canadian and Polish logistic elements, have arrived in the mission ai-ea. As regards Kenya's participation in the Force, consultations with that Government are still. underway. The above-mentioned contingents were selected in consul-t&ion with the Security Council. B. Comnosition 4. As of 1 April 1974, the strength of the Force, including UNEF headquarters and brigade headquarters staff, was as follows: Austria 613 CZUladCi 1,074 Finland 602 Ghana 508 Indonesia 551 Ireland 266 Nepal 571 F'anama 406 F'eru 352 P0land 824 SflW@l 399 Sweden 622 7lotal 6,788 / . S/11248 English Page 5 c. Functions__--- and &delines 5. 'The functions of the Etnrrgency Force are outlined in the Secretary-General's re?ort on the implementation of Security Council resolution 340 (1973) (S/11052/Rev.l), which was approved by the Council by its resolution 341 (1973). Accordinfi to its terms of reference, the Force is to supervise the implementation of paragraph 1 of the Council's resolution 340 (1973) j ,which demanded the immediate and complete observance of the cease-fire and return to the positions of 22 October 1973; it is to use its best efforts to prevent a recurrence of the figh-ting and to co-operate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in its humanitarian endeavours in the area. In the fulfilment of its tasks, the Force is to have the full co-operation of the military observers of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO). 6. The essential conditions for the Force to be effective and the XUidelines for its establishment and operation are set out in the same report (S/11052/Rev.l, puss. 3-4). 7. Specific tasks consistent with its terms of reference were entrusted to UNEF by the A(q?eement of the parties of 11 November 1973 regardinq the implementation of Security Council resolutions 338 (1973) and 339 (1973) (~/11056/~dd.3, annex) and by the Egyptian-Israeli Agreement on disengagement of forces in pursuance of the Geneva Peace Conference (s/1.1198 and Add.1). The Force is at present fulfilling: its tasks and carrying out inspections in the areas defined in the latter Agreement. 8. Discussions have been held by UNEF with officials of Egypt and Israel respectively in connexion with the negotiation of agreements on the status of the Force. These discussions are beine pursued with a view to concluding agreements that will embody the principles of the Charter and of the Convention on the Privileges and :Immunities of the United Nations as well as the experience of previous United Nations peace-keeping operations, so as to ensure the independent functioning of the Force in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council. It is hoped that these negotiations will. lead shortly to a successful outcome. 9. The Force Commander continues the practice of separate high-level meetings with military representatives of Egypt and Israel concerning the implementation of the -terms of re:~erence of the Force and the inspections cooducted by UNEF in the areas of limited armaments and forces. Since the maintenance of full co--operation wkth the parties is an essential condition for carrying out the tasks of the Force (S/llO52/Rev.l, para. 3), UNEF maintains close contact with the military liaison staffs of Egypt and Israel. 10. One of the problems still outstanding relates to restrictions on the freedom of movement of personnel of certain contingents. I have consistently taken the position that UMEF must function as an "integrated and efficient military unit", that its contingents serve on an equal basis under the command of the Force Commander and that no differentiation can be made regardintx the United Nations status of the various contingents. The matter is bein& pursued. I . S/11248 English page 6 Discipline 11. The discipline, understanding and bearing of the soldiers of the United Nations Emergency Force have been of a high order, reflecting credit on the soldiers and on their commanders, as well as cm the countries that contribute contingents to the Force. Casualties 12. During the first five months of operation, UNEF has suffered four fatal casualties and 15 injured as a result of the explosion of mines and other explosive devices. Another soldier was Ikilled in an accident while driving in the supply convoy to the town of Suez. One member of the Force was killed in a traffic accident, and two others died from other causes. I . s/11248 English Page 7 II. DEFLQYMENT AND LOGISTICS A. Deployment 13. During its first five months, the deployment of the Force has been subject ,to frequent changes. As indicated above, the original role of the Force in interposing itself between the armed forces of Egypt and Israel in areas of direct confrontation was followed by the manning of successive temporary buffer zones during the process of disengagement. The operational details of the initial deployment and control of these zones were described in my progress reports to the Security Council in the S/:1.1056/. series. 14. In my last progress report (S/llO56/Add.l4, paras. 5-7), I indicated that it was the intention of the Force Commander to deploy three additional battalions - those of Austria, Ghana and Panama - in the present UNEF zone of disengagement, bringing to nine the number of battalions in the zone. This redeployment started on 18 March and was completed on 24 March 1974. The present UNEF area of deployment lies between the Egyptian and Israeli lines, defined in paragraph B.2 of the Egyptian-Israeli Agreement on disengagement of forces of 18 January 1974, as shown on the map attached to the Agreement (S/lll98/Add.l). 15. The location of UNEF battalions in the zone of disengagement (see attached map) is as follows from north to south in this order: (a) Irish battalion: Base camp in the Robah area.