Commission hands Israeli delegation memorandum re. deteriorating conditions for the refugees – UNCCP 31st meeting (Lausanne) – Summary Record

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE CONCILIATION COMMISSION
AND THE DELEGATION OF ISRAEL

held in Lausanne on Monday,

15 August 1949, at 10:30 a.m.

* Alternate

The CHAIRMAN observed that it was well known to the delegation of Israel, as to the Commission, that the refugee problem was of extreme urgency, that the situation of the refugees was becoming daily more critical, and that in view of the rapid dwindling of the funds available for emergency aid, a solution of the problem must be found without delay. It was therefore necessary that agreement between the parties on certain essential points must be achieved quickly. For this reason, the Commission had prepared a memorandum, addressed in identical terms to the Israeli delegation and to the Arab delegations, and had convened the present meeting for the purpose of presenting that memorandum to the delegation of Israel. The Commission did not request an immediate reply, as the memorandum would require careful study by the Israeli delegation and possibly consultation with its Government; but the Chairman hoped that the delegation of Israel would find it possible to reply within a week’s time.

The Commission’s Memorandum of 15 August (15/35) was then handed to the Israeli delegation.

Mr. SHILOAH re-affirmed his Government’s full consciousness of the urgency of the refugee problem; it was that consciousness which had led his Government to alter its policy concerning the refugees in the way which had been explained by his delegation at the resumption of talks following the recess.

His delegation would study the Commission’s memorandum with the greatest interest and hoped that the comments it would eventually make would be constructive and of a nature to advance the Commission’s work.

The CHAIRMAN thanked Mr. Shiloah for his remarks and noted that they were made in the same spirit of conciliation and cooperation which the Israeli delegation had always shown.