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SV: Major General Ensio Silasvuo at reception
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SV: Major General Silasvuo receives present and walks to microphone to speak
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CU: Major General Silasvuo speaking in English
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CU: Plaque PULL OUT Major General Silasvuo holding plaque
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SILASVUO: "I shall never forget of course the highlight of my service here, the days at kilometre one-one when we for the first time in history had Egyptian and Israeli officers meeting face to face. I also shall never forget meetings at General with General (indistinct) and others in 74 and 75."




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Commander of the United Nations forces in the Middle East is retiring. Major General Ensio Silasvuo was farewelled in a ceremony in Tel Aviv.

SYNOPSIS: Major General Silasvuo retires at the end of the month. He was given a farewell dinner on Thursday (27 December) at an airbase just outside of Tel Aviv. The dinner was hosted by Israeli Chief of Staff Rapheal Eitan. In a farewell speech the Major General said he would never forget the first steps towards peace in the middle-east.

And to commemorate his middle-east service Major General takes with him a plaque presented on behalf of t he Israeli Defence forces.