U.N. peace moves

Press, 4 December 1979, Page 8

U.N. peace moves

NZPA-Reuter New York United Nations Security Council members, after two sessions of debating the Iran crisis, are privately working on a resolution aimed at freeing the American hostages in Teheran. A Security Council source said yesterday that, in addition to demanding the freeing of the 50 hostages still held since the storming of the United States Embassy in Teheran on November 4, the draft was likely to call for the peaceful settlement of differences between the United States and Iran. It would also give the United Nations SecretaryGeneral (Dr Kurt Waldheim) wide discretion in his private efforts to settle the crisis. It was not clear when the draft night be submitted. Mr Abdalla Bishara, chief

delegate of Kuwait and the only Middle East member of| the Security Council, said it would not be until Thursday.! But the United States Ambassador (Mr Donald McHenry) said he hoped the council could complete its action today. The council was scheduled to meet again today. Some diplomats said it might be wise to postpone the adoption of a resolution until there were assurances that the Iranians were willing to maintain a dialogue with the United Nations. They said Dr Waldheim now had a key role in attempts to defuse the crisis. Before the council resumed its debate, Dr Waldheim said he welcomed Iran’s decision to send a new envoy to New YorkBut in Teheran, the Iranian

Foreign Minister (Mr Sadeq iQotbzadeh) told NZPA!Reuter he was sending only; lan administrator to Iran’s! United Nation’s mission and) |that the envoy would not! take part in the Security Council debate. Dr Waldheim told reporters he believed the new envoy would be in general attendance at the United Nations, and added: “I consider this helpful. I don’t know what hi.s mandate is, hut I consider this is a positive development.” I He said the Iranians had repeatedly assured him of their interest in a peaceful! negotiated settlement. “I hope that on this basis we can continue our negotiations,” he said, noting that public statements did not always coincide with attitudes expressed in private talks.