Detailed Plans Announced By Mr. Lie

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1948, Page 5

Detailed Plans Announced By Mr. Lie

(N.Z.P.4.—

■Reuter,

Copyright)

Received Friday, 11.25 a.m. PARIS, Sept. 30. Detailed proposals for the nucleus of a United Nations guard of 800 men, which later might be increased to several thousand, were announced by the SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Trygve Lie, today. The Political Committee of the General Assembly will consider the proposals, which state that the nucleus will consist of 300 men permanently mobilised, with an additional 500 men in a reserve, living in their .own countries but ready for service at short notice". According to the proposals, the guard will be armed with personal defence weapons such as revolvers, rifles and light automatic arms, but no tanks, artillery or major offensive weapons will . f orm part of their regular equipment. However, a special liaison omcer at the United Nations' headquarters will seek the assistance of member Governments in supplying aircraft and ships as needed. Guardsmen will be recruited as far as possible from physicallv fit men without dependents, and they will wear a special uniform. The permanent guard of 300 will be grouped into six field platoons, each of 40 men, and a headquarters staff. Mr. Lie explained that by allowing the reserve force to live in their own countries their compensation when not on active duty would be limited to a small retaining fee in recognition of their attendance at regular training courses and maintenance of their equipment. The guard would not be used for enforcement purposes nor for maintaining law and order in any area, said Mr. Lie, but would be "charged with protecting the persons of United Nations observers who might be subject to personal attack from undisciplined indiv'iduals, or to guard neutralised objectives vital to the success of their negotiations. It is estimated that the nucleus of the guard will cost £1,000,000 annually, of which £750,000 will be spent on the permanent establishment." "