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Ronald Reagan Administration: 13th Message to Congress on the U.S. Sinai Support Mission

(May 26, 1981)

To the Congress of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit herewith the Thirteenth Report of the United States Sinai Support Mission. It covers the Mission's activities during the six-month period ending April 26, 1982. This report is provided in accordance with Section 4 of Public Law 94-110 of October 13, 1975.

This is the final report on the Mission's peacekeeping operations, which ended on April 25, 1982, when Israel completed its withdrawal from the Sinai and Egyptian sovereignty was reestablished in accordance with the 1979 Peace Treaty. At that time the Sinai Field Mission, the Support Mission's overseas arm, relinquished its treaty verification responsibilities to the new Multinational Force and Observers. Established by the August 3, 1981, Protocol to the Peace Treaty, the Multinational Force is now supervising implementation of the Treaty security arrangements.

The Congress appropriated $5 million for the conclusion of the Sinai Support Mission's activities in Fiscal Year 1982. By careful financial and technical planning to minimize its phase-out costs, the Mission expects to complete its activities at this minimal funding level. No funds are being requested for Fiscal Year 1983.

The Field Mission's base camp in the Sinai is expected to be closed by June 1982 and the fixed assets turned over to the Government of Egypt at that time as authorized in Section 6 of the Special International Security Assistance Act of 1979 (PL 9635). The movable assets are being made available to the United States Embassies in Egypt and Israel and to the Multinational Force and Observers on a non-reimbursable basis under authorities contained in the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 USC 511 et seq.). In accordance with Executive Order 12357 of April 6, 1982, the Sinai Support Mission will conclude its activities no later than September 30, 1982, at which time the Department of State will assume responsibility for any residual actions necessary to complete activities initiated by the Mission.

The Congress and the American people can take pride in the successful completion of this unique peacekeeping initiative that combined Government and private sector talents to carry out on very short notice a sensitive and complex series of missions in an isolated and distant environment. In meeting these challenges, the men and women of the Sinai Support and Field Missions have made a major contribution to our continuing efforts to bring a just and lasting peace to the troubled Middle East.

RONALD REAGAN
The White House,
May 26, 1982.


Sources: Public Papers of the President