Annan recommends extension for UNDOF

The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, yesterday recommended the UN Security Council to renew the mission of the UN Deterrent and Disengagement Force in the Golan, UNDOF, for 6 months.

In a report to the UN security council Annan explained that Israel and Syria agreed to renew this forces until June 30. The term for UNDOF mission expires on December 31st.

This force was deployed on the Golan height in1997 following the October war between Egypt and Syria on the one hand, and Israel on the other, in October, 1973.

UNDOF includes more than 1,000 soldiers with an annual budget of 42 million dollars. In his report, the UN chief said that the condition in the operations witnessed a relative calm since June. But he added that tension is still strong after Israel had raided on October 5th a Damascus suburb.