Final Report of the United States Sinai Support Mission
(May 26, 1982)
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 96 - 35). 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
Sources: Public Papers of the President |