Refugees’ frozen assets in Israel/Approval of the Clapp report on refugees’ compensation – UNCCP 121st meeting – Summary record (Geneva)

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIRST MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

 on Wednesday, 18 January 1950, at 11 a.m.

* Alternate

Consideration of the question of the first meeting with the Arab delegations

The CHAIRMAN thought it would be advisable to get in touch with the members of delegations who had already arrived.

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY stated that Mr. Mikaoui (Lebanon) and Mr. Labbane (Egypt) were ready to have private conversations with the members of the Commission and that according to Mr. Labbane, Mostapha Bey would arrive very shortly.

He added that he had received no information concerning the delegations of Syria and Jordan.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that there should be unofficial meetings, with Mr. Mikaoui and Mr. Labbane that same day, at 3.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. respectively.

He was prepared to suggest to the State Department that it might be advisable for the latter to try and find out, through its representatives in Damascus and Amman, what the situation was with regard to the appointment of representatives by the Governments of Syria and Jordan, and the date on which the representatives in question expected to arrive in Geneva.

It was so agreed.

The Commission further decided to receive the delegation of the Arab States officially on Wednesday, 25 January, at 11 a.m.

Report by the Chairman of the General Committee

Mr. BARCO (Chairman of the General Committee) said that the General Committee had examined the report drawn up by Mr. Servoise on the question of the frozen assets in Israel, and considered it to be a very comprehensive study which the Commission itself would be well advised to examine. The General Committee had decided to recommend the Commission to ask the Israeli delegation whether the Government of Israel would agree to unfreeze a sum of £P500,000, instead of £P250,000, the latter sum being deemed insufficient to justify the administrative work and heavy expenses involved in such an operation.

The General Committee had further decided to convene the Committee of Experts but considered that before fixing a date for a meeting of the Committee, it would be advisable to await the Israeli Government’s reply concerning the amount it would be prepared to unfreeze.

Dr. SERVOISE (Economic Adviser) observed that £P500,000 was the minimum sum the banks of the Middle East would accept as a basis for carrying out the operation.

The CHAIRMAN and Mr. de BOISANGER (France) proposed that the Government of Israel should be asked to unfreeze a larger sum, say £P1.000.000.

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY proposed that he should get into touch personally with the representative of Israel; he considered, however; that it would be advisable for the members of the Commission to support his action.

He also felt that it would be better not to quote any definite figure, but merely to propose a formula, such as the unfreezing of £Pl00, or more, per account, irrespective of the size of the account.

It was so agreed.

Draft letter to reply to Mr. Clapp’s note of transmittal accompanying the final report.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that a letter be sent to Mr. Clapp acknowledging receipt of his report and expressing the Commission’s thanks.

Mr. de BOISANGER (France) considered it advisable to state that the Commission approved the views set forth in the Clapp report, but he conceded that that was not a matter of urgency.

The Commission decided to write a letter to Mr. Clapp on the lines proposed by the Chairman,

Letter from Mr. Fisher in the “Palestine Post” of 18 January

The CHAIRMAN regretted that he had not the original text of the article published in the “Palestine Post” to which Mr. Fisher had thought fit to reply. He personally approved the contents of Mr. Fisher’s letter, but considered that the action of writing such a letter might create a dangerous precedent.

Mr. de BOISANGER (France) thought that too much importance should not be attached to criticism in the Palestine press. Mr. Fisher’s letter might give the impression that he had been acting on behalf of the Conciliation Commission and that would be unfortunate. He therefore proposed that the Principal Secretary should write to Mr. Fisher thanking him for what he had said but pointing out that it was not desirable to engage in press controversies.

It was so agreed.

The meeting rose at 11.40 a.m.