Henry Kissinger achieves disengagement agreements on both…

Henry Kissinger achieves disengagement agreements on both the Egyptian and Syrian fronts during 1974 through intensive travel between the various capitals—what soon is being called shuttle diplomacy.

The disengagement becomes known as the "step by step" process, which is intended to fulfill the intent of Security Council Resolution 242 that territory be exchanged for peace.

Despite almost immediate difficulties with Anwar Sadat's Syrian allies, Kissinger, along with Sadat and Moshe Dayan, devises the First Sinai Disengagement Agreement, which calls for thinning out forces in the Suez Canal zone and restoring the UN buffer zone.

The published plan is accompanied by private (but leaked) assurances from the United States to Israel that Egypt will not interfere with Israeli freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and that UN forces will not be withdrawn without the consent of both sides.

The accords, signed on January 18, 1974, provide for Israeli withdrawal into the Sinai west of the Mitla and Gidi passes, while Egypt is to reduce the size of its forces on the east bank of the canal.

A UN peacekeeping force is established between the two armies. (This agreement will be supplemented by another signed on September 4, 1975.)