Question of international regime for Jerusalem – UNCCP 13th Meeting – Summary record

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE THIRTEENTH MEETING

held in the King David Hotel, Jerusalem,
on 8 February 1949 at 1500 hours.

Preliminary examination of the question of an International Regime for Jerusalem

Mr. YALCHIN informed the Commission of the substance of a conversation that he had had in the morning with Mr. Fisher and Mr. Gaulan of the Government of Israel. He said that after a brief exchange of views regarding the general position of the Government of Israel, and especially its attitude towards the question of Jerusalem, Mr. Fisher had stated that the Government of Israel was prepared to accept a form of administration of the Jerusalem area under the suzerainty of the United Nations, in which the Jews would receive a mandate for the New City, while the Arabs would receive one for the Old City, and the Holy Place’s would be placed under the direct control of the United Nations. This system would also involve a rectification of frontiers and Mr. Yalchin expressed the opinion that the creation of a Jewish corridor linking the territory of Israel with the New City was intended.

At the suggestion of the CHAIRMAN, the Commission decided to create a Committee to study the problem of the future regime of Jerusalem and to supply the Commission with the material necessary for its deliberations on the subject, as well as for the preparation of its report to the General Assembly. The Committee in question was to be composed of three of the delegations’ advisers — one for each delegation — and one member of the Secretariat, to be appointed by the Principal Secretary. The Secretariat member was not simply to fulfill the functions of the Committee Secretary but was to be a specialist on Jerusalem and, in fact, the member of the Committee who would be permanent.

The following were appointed members of the Committee:

The appointment of the Secretariat member would be announced to the Commission during its next meeting.

The advisers of the delegations appointed to the Committee would accompany the Commission during its proposed journey to the various capitals, and would either continue their work during the journey or would be temporarily replaced by their Consuls.

The Committee was to hold its first meeting after the Commission had seen the representative of the Government of Transjordan and before it left for Cairo.

The Committee would have the right to interview witnesses and gather information through other contacts, but would not hold formal meetings. It would receive and study all previous proposals on the subject, as well as all variations of the International .Statute prepared by the Trusteeship Council.

Communique to the Press

The formation of the Committee would be announced to the Press in a communique to be issued on Thursday, 10 February 1949 in which it would also stated that the Commission had seen the Foreign Ministers of Israel and Transjordan and intended to depart on a tour of the capitals of the countries involved in the Palestine: conflict. The proposed itinerary of the Commission would also be given.

Summary Records

The Commission decided that it wished to have Summary Records of each meeting circulated during their next meeting.

The Commission instructed the Principal Secretary to include in the Summary Record of its meeting of 8 February 1949 the promise given to the Commission by Mr. Shertok, Foreign Minister of Israel, to answer the Commission’s request. that the Consuls of the three nations represented on the Commission be allowed to be present at the negotiations of the Military Commanders in the Jerusalem area.

Meeting with the representative of the Government of Transjordan

The Principal Secretary informed the Commission that it had been arranged that it should meet the Prime Minister of Transjordan (Acting Foreign Minister) at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday, 9 February 1949, at Jericho.

The Commission agreed that in its conversation with the representative of Transjordan it would follow the same main lines as it had followed with the representative of Israel, but that it would not lay special stress, on the question of Jerusalem,

The meeting rose at 1630 hours