5. Pays tribute to the work done by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and by the International Committee of the Red Cross in providing emergency humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in Tripoli and its surroundings;
6. Calls upon the parties concerned to comply with the provisions of the present resolution;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to follow the situation in northern Lebanon, to consult with the Government of Lebanon, and to report to the Security Council, which remains seized of the question.
Adopted unanimously at the 250/st meeting.

"In connection with the resolution just adopted on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, I have been authorized to make the following complementary statement on behalf of the Security Council:
" ·As is known, the report of the SecretaryGeneral on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force22 states, in paragraph 26, that "despite the present quiet in the Israel-Syria sector, the situation in the Middle East as a whole continues to be potentially dangerous and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached.'' That statement of the Secretary-General reflects the view of the Security Council.' '·

At its 2502nd meeting, on 29 November 1983, the Council proceeded with the discussion of the item entitled "The situation in the Middle East: report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (S/16169)" .17
Resolution 543 (1983)
of 29 November 1983
The Security Council, Having considered the report of the SecretaryGeneral on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force,22 Decides: (a) To call upon the parties concerned to implement immediately Security Council resolution 338 (1973); (b) To renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for another period of six months, that is, until 31 May 1984; (c) To request the Secretary-General to submit, at the end of this period, a report on the developments in the situation and the measures taken to implement resolution 338 (1973).
Adopted unanimously at the 2502nd meeting.
Decisions
At the same meeting, following the adoption of resolution 543 (1983), the President made the following statement: 23
22 Official Records of the Security Council, Thirty-eighth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1983, document S/16169.
21 Document S/16188, incorporated in the record of the 2502nd meeting.

On 3 December 1983, the Secretary-General made the following statement at Security Council consultations:24
"I would like to make it clear that the only issue which I have raised is the request for the flying of the United Nations flag, alongside the national flag of the ship concerned, on the ships which would evacuate the armed elements of the Palestine Liberation Organization from Tripoli. The reason for doing this would be on purely humanitarian grounds to facilitate the resolution of a situation which has already cost many innocent lives and created great destruction. The permission to use the United Nations flag would be given to the countries under whose flags the ships involved are operating.
.. I understand that the probable number of ships involved would be approximately five to evacuate some 3,000 armed elements with the possible addition of another 1,000 militia, carrying personal weapons only. The probable destination of the ships would be Tunis and the Yemen Arab Republic. There would be no financial implications and the only purpose would be to provide symbolic protection. The nationalities of the ships concerned and dates of departure would apparently be decided after my reply concerning the use of the flag is received.
·'The actual arrangements for this evacuation are obviously primarily a matter for the Lebanese Government and the parties to the agreement that has been negotiated with the help of Saudi Arabia and Syria. Yesterday afternoon I spoke on the telephone to President Gemayel and, among other issues, mentioned this problem to him. As I understand it, the Lebanese Government has no objection to the use of the United Nations flag on the evacuation ships, provided, as is the normal practice, the Lebanese flag is also flown in Lebanese territorial waters. I shall naturally remain in consultation with the Government of Lebanon in this matter, which obviously requires its concurrence.
"I need hardly add that any action I take will be in line with the overall objective of respecting the
24 S/16194.

5