UN Palestine Commission – Postal Services in Palestine – Letter from United Kingdom

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Lake Success, New York

16 February 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

COMMUNICATION FROM MR. FLETCHER-COOKE CONCERNING

POSTAL SERVICES IN PALESTINE

The following communication was received on 14 February 1948 from Mr. Fletcher-Cooke of the United Kingdom Delegation:

“13th February, 1948.'

Dear Bunche,

May I refer you to my letter of 10th February regarding the notice to be given to the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union that the Government of Palestine would be unable to accept responsibility for the maintenance of postal services after 15th May.

I have not received confirmation from His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom that it is proposed to inform the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union of the termination of United Kingdom responsibility for postal services in Palestine after 15th May. It is also proposed to notify the Bureau at the same time of any restrictions in the postal services which it may be necessary to impose before that date.

You will no doubt appreciate that it is very desirable that the Commission should send an early communication to the Universal Postal Union and it is suggested that this communication might contain inter alia

(1) a notification that the Commission will assume responsibility for postal services after 15th May and will maintain them as far as possible in accordance with the provisions of the Postal Convention;

(2) particulars of any restrictions which the Commission may find it necessary to impose in Palestine after 15th May;

(3) an address to which communications from other Postal Administrations about Palestine Postal Services should be sent after 15th May.

The suggestion made in (2) of the preceding paragraph is put forward so that Postal Administrations may have timely notification of any restriction or suspension of service – particularly the more cumbersome and complicated services such as parcel post, registration, etc.

I have also been asked to bring to the Commission’s notice that His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom has a special interest as regards the Commission’s views under (2) of paragraph 3 above, in view of the large amount of mail for Palestine which reaches the United Kingdom from other countries for onward transmission. I should, therefore, be grateful if you could let me know as soon as possible the Commission’s views on this point so that they may be conveyed to His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.

Yours sincerely,

(signed)

(J. Fletcher-Cooke)

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,

Principal Secretary to the United Nations

Commission for Palestine,

United Nations, Lake Success.