Jimmy Carter Administration: Tenth Message to Congress Transmitting a Report on U.S. Sinai Support Mission

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