Gatilov: Russian Troops Can Replace Austrian Forces in Golan When They Withdraw

MOSCOW- A senior Russian foreign ministry official has responded to the United Nations’ decision not to accept Russian peacekeepers in the Golan Heights by reiterating that Russian troops can replace Austrian forces when they withdraw, according to the Russian Ria Novosti news agency

“If the UN really is concerned by tensions in the Golan Heights, then sending a Russian contingent in is the solution,” Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov posted on his Twitter account on Saturday afternoon.

On Friday Russia offered to send its peacekeepers to the Golan Heights as part of a UN monitoring mission after Austria said it would withdraw its forces, citing an “unacceptable level of danger to its personnel.”

The UN on Friday said that, although it welcomed Russia’s proposal, the peacekeeping agreements prevent it from accepting Russian troops, as permanent Security Council members are barred from taking part in the UN Disengagement Observer Force.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister responded to this by tweeting “And there’s no need to refer to 40-year-old limitations. The task of supporting peace and stability requires a different kind of political thinking.”

“This is a matter for the UN Security Council,” Gatilov added, in a third tweet on the issue.

Head of the Russian Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov said that deploying Russia peacekeepers in Golan “means a strategic Russia return to the Middle East as a greater power  .”

The Russian Defense Ministry announced it will be ready to name the military units necessary to implement the mission in Golan if it gets orders from the Russian President.   

Mark Leyal Grant, Britain’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations, whose country is currently presiding the Security Council, said the UN will discuss Russia’s proposal o sending Russian peacekeepers to replace the Austrian contingent working in the UNDOF in Golan.

Grant pointed out that deploying Russian peacekeepers in Golan is theoretically possible, but it needs the agreement of both “Syria and Israel”.

He told AFP that UN officials supervising peacekeeping  operations “showed confidence” that it is possible to find new countries that can send peacekeepers to Golan and also to convince India and the Philippines to increase the number of their UNDOF forces.

He stressed that the security Council member states have identical views on the need to carry on the mission of the UNDOF forces so as to avoid its collapse.

H. Mustafa