The United Nations on Thursday thanked the Egyptian government for waiving a new 25-per-cent Suez Canal surcharge on all ships carrying military equipment for U.N. peacekeeping missions. "The U.N. welcomes Egypt's continuing support of U.N. peacekeeping efforts," Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a message. The world body maintains sizable missions in Africa and South Asia that require military and logistical support that can be sent by ships through the Suez Canal. Egypt has sent personnel to take part in those mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Liberia. Egyptian personnel also work in U.N. missions in Kosovo, Western Sahara and Haiti. The transit fees through the Suez Canal provide Egypt a sizable income. --SP 0033 Local Time 2133 GMT
