UN Palestine Commission – Lydda Airport – Letter from United Kingdom

22 March 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication Received from United Kingdom

Delegation Concerning Lydda Airport

The following communication, concerning Lydda Airport, has been received from Mr. Fletcher-Cooke of the United Kingdom Delegation

UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Empire State Building,

New York 1, N. Y.

My dear Bunche,

I have been asked, to bring to the notice of the Commission the following facts regarding Lydda Airport : –

(a) The Government of Palestine is advised that signals equipment and radio aids to navigation at Lydda require replacement at an estimated cost of £P 20,000.

(b) The equipment at present in use at Lydda was taken over from the Royal Air Force when they relinquished control of the aerodrome in June, 1947, and is not only obsolete but at the end of its life.

(c) It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty about continuing to use this equipment for another few months without any major calamity but a serious breakdown must be envisaged before the end of this.

(d) In order to secure delivery in time, it is necessary to place early orders for the new equipment required.

(e) This question has arisen in part from the anxiety of those Air Transportation Companies which operate at Lydda over future provisions when the Mandate is terminated.

It would not be proper for the Government of Palestine to enter into long-term commitments of this kind at this stage.

I have, therefore, been asked to approach the Commission in this matter and invite their attention to the conditions which are likely to arise at Lydda unless they can arrange for re-equipment before this end of this year. The Government of Palestine would be prepared to offer technical assistance in determining what equipment is required.

Yours sincerely,

J. Fletcher-Cooke (signed)

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,

Principal Secretary, to the United Nations

Commission Palestine,

United Nations, Lake Success.