Reuters AlertNet Lite - U.N. renews observer force on Golan Heights

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U.N. renews observer force on Golan Heights

20 Jun 2007 23:36:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

UNITED NATIONS, June 20 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday voted unanimously for a six-month renewal of the U.N. observer force on the Golan Heights that serves as a buffer between Syrian and Israeli armies.

But the council, as is its usual practice, said the situation was tense "unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached."

Such a statement has been issued for renewal of the mission since 1976, without any substantive discussion of issues on the Golan Heights. The mandate for the peacekeepers was extended until Dec. 31.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. The U.N. Disengagement Observer Force or UNDOF was established in May 1974 to supervise a cease-fire and disengagement agreement after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. It has some 1,190 personnel, most of them troops.

An Austrian general heads the force composed of soldiers from Canada, India, Japan, Nepal, Poland and Slovakia.

After the 2006 Lebanon war, President Bashar Al-Assad signaled Syria's readiness to resume the peace negotiations with Israel which were interrupted in 2000. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the time rejected the offer because of Syria's support of "terrorist groups."

In Washington on Tuesday, Olmert played down prospects for peace talks with Syria, citing what he said was a precondition by Damascus for U.S. mediation.

"I don't think that if someone wants to speak directly, he needs the involvement of America in order to allow these negotiations to take place," Olmert told reporters at the start of a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.

Asked about a possible U.S. mediation role, Bush replied: "If the prime minister wants to negotiate with Syria he doesn't need me to mediate. ... It's up the prime minister."

Washington, citing Syria's support for militants in Iran and Lebanon and its ties to Iran, has opposed a resumption of Israeli-Syrian talks. Bush's remarks did not seem to indicate any change in position.

Olmert has spoken of a desire to hold talks with Syria without preconditions but said Israel wanted to know whether Damascus would be prepared to cut ties with Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas and Palestinian militant groups.

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Last updated:Wed Jun 20 23:37:57 2007