andMr. Cluskey asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will outline the position of the Irish Army personnel, currently in the service of the United Nations in the Middle East, now that the Secretary-General of the United Nations can no longer guarantee their safety.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UN Military Observers.
5.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations in a letter dated 5th June informed the Government that he is no longer able to guarantee the safety of the men engaged in the observation operation in the Suez Canal sector. He gave the assurance, however, that the acting chief of staff of the United Nations truce supervisory organisation and he himself would continue to take every possible precaution for the safety of the United Nations military observers. There are at present ten Irish officers serving with UNTSO in the Suez Canal sector, and the Government are in close touch with the Secretary-General in regard to the physical protection of the observers and the preservation of their status.