UNITED NATIONS: The United Arab Republic notified the United Nations today [June 8] that it had decided to accept the UN call for ceasefire.

The announcement was read to the Council by Secretary-General U Thant.

It came just after the United States had laid before the 15-nation Council a new demand for compliance with ceasefire to be followed by Israeli-Arab talks on troop withdrawals and conditions for a permanent Middle East peace.

The Secretary-General told the Council he had just received a communication from the UAR Ambassador Mr Mohammed Awad El Kony. He read the following:

“Your Excellency, I have the honour to inform you upon instructions from my Government that it has decided to accept the ceasefire call as it has been prescribed in the resolutions of the Council on the 5th and 6th of June on the condition that the other party cease to fire.” — Agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by our correspondent in London,] there is jubilation in London and Washington over the acceptance by the Soviet Union and India last night [June 7] of the Anglo-American proposal in the UN Security Council for the unconditional ceasefire in the Arab-Israeli war without any reference to the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the truce lines.

Echoing the feelings of the Anglo-Americans and the Israelis over this move, “The Daily Telegraph” stated today that “the simple ceasefire call represented a victory of the Americans over the Russians”.

The BBC claimed that Russia had “backed down” in the Security Council in view of the “military reverses suffered by the Arabs”.

Among the Arab diplomats here there is widespread disillusionment which doubtless reflects the mood in Cairo and other Arab capitals. It is obvious that the hopes Arabs reposed in Moscow and Delhi in respect of the Security Council resolution were not realised. The British and Americans continue to deny vehemently the Jordanian and UAR allegation that Anglo-American aircraft from carriers in Eastern Mediterranean provided “air umbrella” over Israel on Monday [June 5].

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2017