Palestine question – Egypt accepts Security Council resolutions on truce lines – Press release

UNITED NATIONS

Department of Public Information

Press and Publications Bureau

Lake Success, New York

Press Release PAL/397

7 December 1948

EGYPT INDICATES ACCEPTANCE OF SECURITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTIONS ON ARMISTICE AND NEGEV TRUCE LINES

Mahmoud Bey Fawzi of Egypt has indicated that his government has agreed in principle to measures envisaged by the Security Council resolution of 16 November as, well as those contained in the Council's resolution of 4 November.

The first resolution calls on the Arabs and Jews to negotiate an Armistice in the Palestine conflict while the second concerns the establishment of truce lines in the Negev.

The Egyptian representative's statement was made in answer to Alexandre Parodi of France during a meeting of the Security Council's Special Committee on the Negev which met in Paris yesterday afternoon (6 December).  He pointed out that this was not "exactly the final form" of his government's answer to the Security Council's resolution on an armistice, but added that the official answer would be forthcoming shortly .

The Committee will meet again on Wednesday (8 December) when the Acting Mediator, Dr. Ralph Bunche is expected to return to Paris to attend the deliberations.

During the debate today Mahmoud Bey Fawzi declared that as long as the November 4th resolution on truce lines in the Negev was not implemented, any further progress toward peace was not possible.  He charged that Israeli forces were still violating this resolution namely, by the continued occupation of such points as Beersheba.

In reply Aubrey Eban, representative of the Provisional Government of Israel, said that there had been no progress on Armistice negotiations and that this fatally obstructive attitude was effecting the settlement of all Negev problems.

Mr. Parodi reminded both parties that the Security Council had not specified a priority for the implementation of its resolution on an armistice and on the truce lines in the Negev which, he said, thus had to be implemented simultaneously.

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