Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-01
Ihant PrOIOnus
Yemen Mission
DespiteFaiIure
By WILLIAM r. FRYE
sDscial to The star


UNITED NATIONS, N. Y
Nov. limited Nations Secre-
tary General y Thant has de-
cided to prolong for two more.
months q peace mission in
Yemen which he has publicly
termed virtually useless.
Mr.. Thant Is known to have
agreed to the extension with
great reluctance. Since both
the United Arab Republic and,
as of yesterday. Saudi Arabia
were willing to pay for it, he
considered he had no practical
alternative.
Only Wednesday, Mr.. Thant
had said the 2O0-man U. ~
peace force would be with
drawn November 4. At that
time, Saudi Arabia had refused
to continue paying its share of
the 5000, 900 monthly cost.
Mr.. Thant had said Wedens-
day that the U. N. mission was
operating under a mandate so
limiting and restrictive as to
make it virtually impossible for
dt) to play q really helpful
and constructive role in
Yemen"
Explanations for Course
Even with funds available,
therefore, U. N. observers won
dered why Mr.. Thant continued
the force in being. He had said
he was going to replace it by
a token civilian presence"
Inquiries elected these prin-
cipal explanations:
/. The United States has not
given up hope that JAR Presi-
dent NasSer may yet carry out
an agreement made last April
to withdraw his expeditionary
force now numbering some
$4,000 men.
Washington therefore put
considerable pressure on Mr..
Thant to remain on the scene,
and on Saudi Arabia to con-
tribute. IL Is said.
2. Mr.. NaSSer wants the q. N.
to stay, believing the q. N.
force, small and ineffective
though 1t Is, has some inhibit-
ing effect on Saudi Arabia.
Mr.. Thant reported that the
Saudis were largely complying
with their part of the April
disagreement agreement.
8. Saudi Arabia believes the
mission, while unable to pres
sure Mr.. Nasser out, neverthe-
less can provide moral and
propaganda benefit, fixing
blame on Cairo for failure of
the April agreement.
This In turn, the Saudis are
said to believe, may make it
more difficult for Mr.. Nasser
to wage effective political and
psychological warfare against
the Saudi monarchy.
q. N. Failure Looming
Even so, observers point out.
this still will leave the U. N.
holding the bag If the present
deadlock continues. world
opinion is likely to consider
Yemen a ~. N. failure" In
deed, it already is being so
described.
Mr.. Thant regards 1t as a
failure by the UAR and Saudi
Arabia to carry out their COM
mitments. The U. NJ, as he sees
it, is on the spot only to OBJ
serve and report fulfillment.
The u. N. cannot even do this
very well, Mr.. Thant has &C
knowledged. Given the nature
of the situation and Of the ter
rain" he reported to the Sc
curity Council Wednesday, "it
is not possible for UNYOM (the
United Nations Yemen Obser-
walton MisSion) with its pres
emit personnel. or for that mat
ter with q much expanded es-
Enlistment, to observe fully,
let alone to certify to the sat-
isfaction of both parties, what
specifically is being done IN the
way Of disengagement."
The first commander OF
UNYOM, Maj. Gen. Carl Carls-
son Won Horn Of Sweden, was
fired for reporting this fact In
dignantly to Mr.. Thant. Now
Mr.. Thant publicly has, in eff
feet, agreed with Gen. Won
Horn.