U.N. FORCE REPORT

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28133, 23 November 1956, Page 13

U.N. FORCE REPORT

Details Given Assembly

(Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK. Nov. 22. In his report circulated to the United Nations General Assembly today, the Secretary-General (Mr Hammarskjold) said that Egypt had agreed to work out a basis for the maintenance of the United Nations emergency unit—now comprising 4479 men from eigh countries—in its territory. However, he said, the initial activities of the force were determined by the fact that, as yet, no withdrawals had taken place in compliance with the cease-fire-and-withdrawal demand approved two weeks in the assembly. “I shall report to the General Assembly as soon as I receive clarifications from the governments concerned,” Mr Hammarskjold said. He also said in the letter that Britain was prepared to co-operate with the United Nations emergency force. This applied also to the Danish-Nor-wegian company, which reached Port Said today. He said Britain would help the international force with supplies and withdraw as the international force became effective.

Mr Hammarskjold's report emphasised that the General Assembly itself had stipulated that the force could operate in Egypt only with the consent of the Egyptian Government. On the question of clearing the blocked canal, Mr Hammarskjold said that, acting on Egypt’s request for United Nations assistance, he had been in touch with a number of private firms in Denmark and the Netherlands.

He said that the work would be given to firms in countries “outside the present conflict.” He asked the Assembly to authorise him to sign contracts for the clearing job, but said he was not prepared now to say how the costs should be shared. He planned, he told the Assembly, to send experts from the United Nations Technical Assistance Programme, assisted by representatives of the salvage firms already approached, to survey the job at once. The Assembly resolution called for steps to clear the canal and to secure freedom of navigation through it. Mr Hammarskjold’s report avoided the question of whether freedom of passage for ships of all nations would be guaranteed, and it made no mention of the future operation of the canal.