1956 war – GA draft resolution

DOCUMENT A/3263*

United States of America: draft resolution

[Original text: English]

          [3 November 1956]

The General Assembly,

Noting that the Security Council, on 13 October 1956**, adopted the following resolution (S/3675):

“The Security Council,

“Noting the declarations made before it and the accounts of the development of the exploratory conversations on the Suez question given by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France and the United Kingdom,

“Agrees that any settlement of the Suez question should meet the following requirements:

“(1) There should be free and open transit through the Canal without discrimination, overt or covert – this covers both political and technical aspects;

“(2) The sovereignty of Egypt should be respected;

“(3)  The operation of the Canal should be insulated from the politics of any country;

“(4)  The manner of fixing tolls and charges should be decided by agreement between Egypt and the users;

“(5)  A fair proportion of the dues should be allotted to development;

“(6)  In case of disputes, unresolved affairs between the Suez Canal Company and the Egyptian Government should be settled by Arbitration with suitable terms of reference and suitable provisions for the payment of sums found to be due”,

Noting the position taken by the Government of Egypt in document S/3728,

Recalling that the General Assembly, on 2 November 1956, adopted a resolution which, inter alia, noted that traffic through the Suez Canal was interrupted with serious prejudice to many nations, urged the parties to the hostilities in Egypt to agree to an immediate cease-fire and, as part thereof, to halt the movement of military forces into the area and urged that, upon the cease-fire being effected, steps be taken to reopen the Suez Canal and restore freedom of navigation,

Recognizing that the situation calls for a permanent solution consistent with the principles of justice and international law, the sovereignty of Egypt, and the rights of international users of the Suez Canal as guaranteed by the Convention of 1888,

1. Establishes a committee composed of ………., …………, and …………., to assume responsibility for:

(a) The taking of measures for the immediate reopening of the Suez Canal as a secure international waterway;

(b) The preparation of a plan, in consultation with Egypt, France and the United Kingdom, for operation and maintenance of the Suez Canal and freedom of passage through it in accordance with the Convention of 1888, and with the six requirements unanimously agreed to by the Security Council, with the concurrence of Egypt, on 13 October 1956;

(c) The adoption and putting into effect of such a plan;

2. Requests the committee to report to the General Assembly and to the Security Council as appropriate, and invites the committee to make recommendations as it deems useful to promote a just and permanent settlement of the Suez problem, consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations;

3. Requests the Members of the United Nations to render all appropriate assistance to the committee.

_______________

 *At its 572nd plenary meeting, the General Assembly decided to defer examination of this text to its eleventh ordinary session.

**See Official Records of the Security Council, Eleventh Year, 743rd meeting.

emspecsess1.56