Discussion of the establishment of a Mixed Cttee on Gaza refugees – UNCCP’s General Cttee 53rd mtg (Geneva) – Summary record

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

GENERAL COMMITTEE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

on Thursday, 16 February 1950, at 5 p.m.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION ON THE QUESTION OF SETTING UP MIXED COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE EGYPTIAN PROPOSALS RELATING TO REFUGEES IN THE GAZA AREA AND RELATED QUESTIONS

The CHAIRMAN recalled the fact that the Commission had invited the General Committee to study the setting up of a Mixed Committee. With regard to the terms of reference of that body, the Commission wished them to be confined to the points raised by Egypt, while at the same time providing for the possibility of extending their scope to include any related questions that the Commission might see fit to add or the members of the Mixed Committee might decide to study. The Commission thought that the Mixed Committee would have more chance of success if its terms of reference were thus restricted.

He accordingly proposed that the Secretariat be asked to draft the terms of reference in the light of these observations.

It was so agreed

The CHAIRMAN said that the Commission had already recognized the need for treating the establishment of the Mixed Committee as a priority matter. Of the three Egyptian proposals, the one concerning the inhabitants of no-man’s-land seemed, in his opinion, to promise the quickest solution. The General Committee might suggest that that question be studied first but it would be desirable to leave the future Mixed Committee free to draw up its own agenda.

It was so agreed.

The CHAIRMAN considered that only the delegations of Egypt and the State of Israel should take part in the work of the Committee.

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY pointed out that the membership of the Committee was closely linked with its terms of reference. Should the terms of reference be widened, the membership of the Committee would have to be reviewed.

The CHAIRMAN felt that that consideration should be brought to the attention of the Commission in the General Committee’s Report.

Mr. ERALP (Turkey) was also of the opinion that the only delegations to be represented should be those of the two States already mentioned.

The CHAIRMAN felt that it would be desirable for the committee in question to have a permanent chairman; it should not be regarded as a subsidiary body of the General Committee.

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY suggested that it should simply be stated, in general terms, that the chairman of the Mixed Committee would be a representative of the Commission and appointed by that body.

After discussion on the relations between the Mixed Committee and the Commission, the Committee decided that the Mixed Committee should make its reports to the General Committee, that proposal would be included in the General Committee’s own Report.

On the question of the procedure to be followed for keeping delegations informed, requesting them to supply particulars and seeking other information, the CHAIRMAN considered that the General Committee might recommend to the Commission that it should approach the delegations concerned.

Mr. LADAS (Secretariat) observed that further details were required on some of the Egyptian proposals.

After discussion, the General Committee decided not to submit preliminary inquiries to the Egyptian delegation concerning the interpretation of certain passages in its proposals, since to do so would delay the setting up of the Mixed Committee.

The CHAIRMAN, referring to the relations of the Mixed Committee, with the Taxed Armistice Commission, stated that the Conciliation Commission would, of course, have to inform the Armistice Commission of the setting up of the Mixed Committee and of its terms of reference and, at the same time, request the collaboration and advice of that Commission.

After discussion, it was decided that the General Committee at its next meeting would examine the draft report to the Commission on the establishment of the Mixed Committee. The report would be drawn up by the Secretariat in the light of observations made in the course of the meeting.

The meeting rose at 6 p.m.