Tenth Message to Congress
Transmitting a Report on U.S. Sinai Support Mission
(September 29, 1980)
To the Congress of the United States:
I am pleased to transmit herewith the Tenth Report
of the United States Sinai Support Mission. It covers the Mission's
activities during the six-month period ending October 1, 1980. This
report is provided to the Congress in conformity with Section 4 of Public
Law 94-110 of October 13, 1975.
The Peace Treaty of Egypt and Israel signed in Washington
on March 26, 1979, called for the United States to continue its monitoring
responsibilities in the Sinai until January 25, 1980, when Israel's
armed forces withdrew from areas east of the Giddi and Mitla Passes.
This mission was completed on schedule and to the satisfaction of all
parties.
Trilateral talks in Washington in September of 1979
resulted in agreement that the United States would use the Sinai Field
Mission to perform certain functions, among those specified in Annex
I of the Treaty, relating to the verification of military constraints
applicable to limited forces zones located in the western two-thirds
of the Sinai. The Egyptian and Israeli Governments subsequently confirmed
orally their acceptance of three articles on the operations of the Sinai
Field Mission from an agreement still under negotiation which deals
with arrangements in the Sinai up to the time of final Israeli withdrawal
in April 1982. Administration officials have conveyed the text of these
three articles to appropriate Congressional committees and have briefed
them on the other aspects of the proposed agreement. They will continue
to keep the Congress fully informed of progress in the negotiations
on the remainder of the proposed agreement.
This year's funding of the Sinai Support Mission is
authorized under Chapter 6, Part II of the Foreign Assistance Act, "Peacekeeping
Operations." At my request, Congress restored 6 million dollars
and approved an additional FY-1980 funding of 3.9 million dollars so
that the Sinai Support Mission could perform verification functions
entrusted to it.
The American peacekeeping effort in the Sinai has been
a highly successful one. I know the Congress will continue its support
of this mission as part of the larger U.S. effort to achieve our goal
of permanent peace in the Middle East.
JIMMY CARTER
The White House,
September 29, 1980.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |