UNCCP – 29th report

REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS

CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

Note by the Secretary-General

transmitting the report

The twenty-ninth report of the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, covering the period from 30 September 1974 to 29 September 1975, the text of which is attached to the present note, was transmitted by the Chairman of the Commission by letter of 30 September 1975 for communication to the States Members of the United Nations in accordance with paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 512 (VI) of 26 January 1952, and paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 3331 A (XXIX) of 17 December 1974.

ANNEX

Twenty-ninth report of the United Nations

Conciliation Commission for Palestine

1. In paragraph 3 of resolution 3331 A (XXIX) of 17 December 1974, the General Assembly noted with regret that the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine had been unable to find a means of achieving progress in the implementation of paragraph 11 of Assembly resolution 194 (III) and requested the Commission to exert continued efforts towards the implementation thereof and to report thereon as appropriate, but no later than 1 October 1975.  The present report is submitted pursuant to that request.

2. In its twenty-fourth 1/ and twenty-fifth 2/ reports, covering the periods from 24 December 1965 to 30 September 1966 and from 1 October 1966 to 30 September 1967, the Commission responded to earlier requests by the General Assembly in its resolutions 2052 (XX) of 15 December 1965 and 2154 (XXI) of 17 November 1966, in connexion with the implementation of paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III).  In those reports the Commission noted that examination of various ways in which it might be possible to intensify its efforts with any prospect of advancing matters towards the implementation of paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III) had compelled the conclusion that all the ways envisaged presupposed substantial changes in the situation.  The events which had occurred in 1967 and thereafter complicated an already very complex problem.  However recent developments in the Middle East encouraged the Commission to believe that prospects may have improved.

3. In the course of 1972, in response to formal requests from interested parties, and after consultation with the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, the Commission decided that these interested parties could have access to certain documents of the Commission 3/ with the understanding that the recipient Governments will continue to treat valuation figures contained therein on a confidential basis.  Copies of such documents would be furnished on the understanding that any expenses shall be borne by the delegation concerned.

4. In accordance with the Commission's decision to make available to the interested parties upon request copies of certain documents and materials in its possession, and in pursuance of such a request by Egypt, the duplication work was undertaken and completed in June 1974, at which time copies of the relevant set of documents were transmitted to the Permanent Mission of Egypt.  On 31 May 1974, the Commission received a request from Jordan for copies of the same set of documents as Egypt.  These were subsequently supplied to Jordan.  The Commission also agreed to supply the Permanent Mission of Egypt with a second set of microfilm copies of these documents at that mission's expense.  Egypt received this second set of copies in March and May 1975.

5. The Commission is encouraged by the efforts already made during the several months towards a Middle East settlement which could lead to a just and lasting peace in the area.  However, the circumstances governing the possibilities open to the Commission have remained up to now essentially unchanged.  The Commission hopes that recent developments will lead to further intensive efforts that will enable it to carry forward its work vigorously.

Notes

1/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-first Session, Annexes, agenda item 32, document A/6451.

2/ Ibid., Twenty-second Session, Annexes, agenda item 34, document A/6846.

3/ Microfilms of land registers received from the Mandatory Government; RP-1 forms (identification of property parcels including individual valuation figures); index of owners' names (which provides means of direct reference to the holdings recorded in the name of each owner).

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