Discussion and modification of procès-verbale as proposed by Arab Delegation – UNCCP 53rd meeting (Lausanne) – Summary Record

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING

held in Lausanne on Wednesday,

11 May 1949, at 10 a.m.

The CHAIRMAN reported that he had had a further conversation with Mr. Ammoun, who had told him that the Arab delegations were considerably upset by the news of the admission of Israel to membership of the United Nations. The Chairman had pointed out that the fact of Israel’s admission did not alter the present problem with which the Commission and the delegations were concerned. Mr. Ammoun had observed that while the Arab delegations were not hostile to the idea of discussing the territorial question, they would like to see certain modifications in the text of the proposed protocol. After lengthy consultation, the Chairman and Mr. Ammoun had arrived at a new formula, which was now before the Commission; it included a last minute modification proposed just before the meeting by the Arab delegations. The Chairman himself did not consider the new version satisfactory, but he invited the comments of his colleagues. He had reserved the position of the Commission on the matter.

Mr. YALCIN considered the Arab demands for emphasis on the refugee question as misplaced; all the elements which had been added to the text already existed in the resolution. The present text, in effect, bore only upon the refugee problem.

Mr. ETHRIDGE objected strongly to the new text on the ground that it distorted the Commission’s functions. If the text were adopted, the implication of, the second paragraph would be that the Commission accepted the view held by certain of the Arab representatives that the Commission’s whole objective was a solution of the refugee problem. He pointed out that the Israeli delegation had made a major concession in accepting the Partition Plan as a basis for discussion; he did not think the new text would be acceptable to Mr. Eytan, and he did not wish to place upon the latter the responsibility for rejecting it. He proposed that the Commission should reject the new text at once, in favor of the text which it had originally adopted, and that it should be pointed out to the Arab delegations that the new text represented a complete departure from their original position.

The CHAIRMAN and Mr. YALCIN agreed to rejection of the new text. The Chairman asked what formula he should propose to the Arab delegations and suggested that it should be in the form of a modification of the new text submitted by the Arabs.

It was agreed that in the first paragraph of the new text, the section beginning “…the return of the refugees…” and ending “…examination of the territorial question…” should be replaced. by the words, “…the objectives of the General Assembly’s resolution of 11 December 1948, regarding, refugees, territorial and other questions…” and further, that the final phrase of the, second paragraph, beginning “without prejudice to.. “ should be deleted.