Discussion re the Way Forward memo sent to Arab and Israeli delegations and their reponses; approval of 6th progress report to the SecGen – UNCCP 153rd meeting (Geneva) – Summary record

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THIRD MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
on Friday, 12 May 1950, at 11 a.m.

* Alternate

Note addressed by the Commission to the Arab Governments and the Government of Israel 

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY reported that the note had been transmitted to the Governments concerned on the previous day.

Mr. de BOISANGER (France) stated that it appeared; from various conversations he had had with the members of the delegations of the Arab States, that the expression “delegates fully empowered to act on their behalf”, as used in the Commission’s note, had caused the addressees certain misgivings. Some of them had, in fact, interpreted the note as meaning that the representatives sent by the States to take part in the negotiations should possess the powers necessary for negotiating and signing the peace treaty. The Commission, of course, had had no such intention, and it might perhaps be advisable to explain to Mr. Mostafa that all that the Commission had meant was that the representatives of the various Governments should be fully empowered to serve on the Mixed Committee.

The CHAIRMAN felt that it should be made clear that, in using the expression “delegates fully empowered to act on their behalf”, the Commission meant that the representatives of the Governments concerned should possess the necessary authority to participate in frank and free discussions within the Mixed Committees under the procedure proposed for settlement of all outstanding questions.

Publicity to be given to the Commission’s note of 11 May 1950 

After an exchange of views as to the advisability of informing the Press that the Conciliation Commission had transmitted a note to the Governments concerned, following on the replies from the Governments of the Arab States and the Israeli Government; the Commission decided to leave the drafting of a press release containing all appropriate information regarding the note until the beginning of the following weeks.

Approval of the report for submission to the United Nations Secretary-General

The Commission, then proceeded to examine the draft periodic report prepared by the Secretariat and revised by the General Committee.

The sixth periodic report to the United. Nations Secretary-General was approved, with a few formal changes.

The meeting rose at 11.45 a.m.