UNRWA – Special Political Committee – Report

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR

PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST

Report of the Special Political Committee

Rapporteur: Mr. Edmond Sylvian (Haiti)

1. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 21 of resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, and of paragraph 8 of resolution 1191(XII) of 12 December 1958, the Director of the United Nations Relief an Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Submitted to the General Assembly his report for the financial year ending 30 June 1958.1/

2. On 22 September 1958, the General Assembly decided to include the question on the agenda of its thirteenth session, and to allocate it to the Special Political committee.

3. The Special Political Committee also had before it a document (A/3948) transmitted by the Acting Director to the Secretary-General on 8 October 1958 containing the recommendations made on 7 October 1958 by the Advisory Commission of the Agency after it had examined the budget for 1959 and the report of the Director.

4. The Special Political Committee considered the question at its 101st to 113th meetings, from 7 to 26 November 1958 and at its 125th meeting, on 10 December 1958.

5. At the 101st meeting, on 7 November, the Chairman, with the consent of the Committee, invited the Acting Director of the Agency to take a place at the committee table.  At that meeting the Acting Director made a statement (S/SPC/29).

6. At the 110th meeting, on 21 Novemer, the Chariman informed the Committee that he had received a letter from the representative of Iraq (A/SPC/31) requesting that Mr. Izzat Tannous, Director of the Palestine Arab Refugee Offices in New York and Beirut, should be allowed to speak before the Committee. With the consent of the Committee, Mr. Tannous made a statement at the lllth meeting, on 24 November.

7.  On 9 December, a joint draft resolution was submitted to the Committee by the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America (A/SPC/L.31).

8.  On 10 December, the United States representative presented the four-Power draft resolution to the Committee and stated that paragraph 7 of the operative part had been included so that proposals for the continuation of assistance to Arab refugees might be placed before the fourteenth session of the Assembly. I asked the Secretary-General to express his views on the paragraph, which read as follows:

"7.  Requests the Secretary-General to arrange for the submission to the fourteenth session of proposals for the continuation of the United Nations interest in international relief and rehabilitation for the Arab refugees from Palestine and the methods of such continuation,.such proposals to take into consideration the views expressed by the various members of the General Assembly and by the Advisory Commission, of the Agency, and the rights of all parties as recognized by past resolutions of the General Assembly;"

9.  The Secretary-General stated that in view of the situation facing the Assembly next year, as part of his regular duties, he would look into the technical operation of UNRWA in preparation of such proposals as he might consider helpful or necessary to put forward to the General Assembly, in good time, for its consideration at its next session.

10. The representative of the United States then announced that, in view of the Secretary-General's statement, the cosponsors of the draft resolution were to delete operative paragraph 7, as a report of the type indicated would make its inclusion unnecessary.

11. In those circumstances, and in the absence of any objection, the Chairman put to the vote the four-Power draft resolution, without its original operative paragraph 7. The amended draft resolution was adopted by 44 votes to none, with 18 abstentions.

12. The Special Political Committee accordingly recommends for the approval of the General Assembly the following resolution:

Report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works

Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, 393 (v) of 2 December 1950, 513 (VI) of 26 January 1952, 6l4 (VII) of 6 November 1952, 720 (VIII) of 27 November 1953, 818 (IX) of 4 December 1954, 916 (X) of 3 December 1955, 1018 (XI) of 28 February 1957, and 1191 (XII) of 12 December 1957,

Noting the annual report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East,1/ and in particular the observations relating to the expiration of the Agency's mandate on 30 June 1960, and noting the report of the Advisory Commission of the Agency,

Noting with regret that repatriation or compensation of the. refugees, as provided for in paragraph 11 of resolution l94 (III), has not been effected, that no substantial progress has been made in the programme endorsed in paragraph 2 of resolution 513 (VI) for the reintegration of refugees and that, therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to be a matter of serious concern,

Having reviewed the budget prepared by the Director and having noted the endorsement thereof by the Advisory Commission of the Agency,

Noting with grave concern that contributions to the budget are not yet sufficient and that the financial situation of the Agency remains serious,

Recalling that the Agency is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations,

1.  Draws the attention of Governments to the precarious financial position of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and urges them to consider to what extent they can contribute or increase their contributions in order that the Agency may carry out relief and rehabilitation programmes for the welfare of the refugees;

2.  Requests the Secretary-General, in view of the serious financial, position of the Agency, to continue, as a matter of urgent concern, his special efforts to secure the additional financial assistance needed to  the Agency's budget and to-provide adequate working capital;

3.  Directs the Agency to pursue its programme for refugees bearing in mind the response to paragraphs 1 and 2 above;

4.  Requests the Director of the Agency, without prejudice to paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III), to plan and carry out projects capable of supporting substantial numbers of refugees, and in particular programmes relating to education and vocational training;

5.  Requests the host Governments to co-operate fully with the Agency and with its personnel ana to extend to the Agency every appropriate assistance in carrying but its functions;

6.  Requests the Agency to continue its consultations with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine in the best interests of their respective tasks, with particular reference to paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III);

7.  Expresses its thanks to the Director, Mr. Henry R. Labouisse, for the devoted attention he has given to the affairs of the Agency and the welfare of the refugees for the four years of his incumbency, to the staff of the Agency for their continued faithful efforts to carry out its mandate, and to the specialized agencies and the many private organizations for their valuable and continuing work in assisting the refugees;

8.  Requests the Director of the Agency to continue to submit the reports referred to in paragraph 21 of General Assembly resolution 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, as modified by paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 1018 (XI) of 28 February 1957.

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1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, (Thirteenth Session, Supplement No.14 (A/3931)

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