UNCCP – Commission note clarifying its proposals put forward in 29 March memorandum – Letter to Israel, Arab delegations

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

Note dated 30 May

addressed by the Conciliation Commission

to the Arab Delegations and the Delegation of Israel

The Conciliation Commission for Palestine has examined the replies of the Arab Governments and the Government of Israel to the Commission’s Note of 11 May and finds it desirable to clarify the proposals put forward in its Memorandum of 29 March 1950.

The General Assembly of the United Nations, in its resolution of 11 December 1948 which established the Conciliation Commission and constitutes its Charter, requested the Commission “to establish contact between the parties themselves and the Commission at the earliest possible date”. It also called upon the Governments “to seek agreement by negotiations conducted either with the Conciliation Commission or directly, with a view to the final settlement of all questions outstanding between them”.

It was in response to this request and in accordance with the instructions given in paragraph 6 of that resolution that the Commission, in view of the fact that the parties had failed to undertake direct negotiations, invited them to seek in Mixed Committees under the chairmanship of the Commission, the agreement aimed at by the Assembly.

The Conciliation Commission believes that the parties will recognize the inappropriateness of laying down prerequisite conditions for the initiation of a procedure conforming to the Assembly’s resolution, especially where such conditions refer to principles laid down by that resolution. It should be emphasized that all those principles must be respected and that one of them cannot be singled out for special recognition without impairing the equilibrium of the resolution of 11 December 1948 as a whole.

The Commission feels sure that these principles are recognized by the parties, and that they mean to respect them; but their implementation gives rise to complex problems. It is with these problems that negotiations in the Mixed Committees would deal.

The Commission is convinced that each Government will recognize the urgent need for the establishment of conditions of peace and stability in the Middle East and for bringing to an end the suffering of the refugees.

The Conciliation Commission trusts that in the light of the foregoing considerations it will be possible to proceed with the establishment of the Mixed Committees without further delays.

End Note
Issued also as AR/32