501.BB Summaries/11–747: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State

[Extract]
secret

1164.

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At a meeting of the working group (US–USSR–Guatemala–Canada) on implementation of the Palestine Subcommittee on Partition, [Page 1243] USGADel on Nov. 6 presented a proposal designed to meet in part suggestions that the SC should be assigned a definite role in the implementation of the OA’s Palestine recommendations. Johnson suggested that the GA elect a UN commission composed of a high commissioner and two other members. This commission, subject to the GA recommendations on Palestine, would supervise and assist in the transfer of the powers of government to the two independent states and to the proposed trust territory of the city of Jerusalem, and would advise and assist the new governments in the establishment of stable bases of government and administration.

The US further suggested that the commission should report to and be subject to any instructions issued by the SC on matters affecting international peace and security and might report as necessary to the TC on other matters. For this purpose, the TC would be authorized to give advice to the commission within the framework of the GA recommendations. The UN commission would make its final report to the third GA session. As soon as feasible, on a date to be agreed by the SC and the mandatory power following a recommendation of the UN commission, but in any event, not later than July 1, 1948, the mandate for Palestine would be terminated and the independence of the two states would be achieved.

In the resulting discussion, it was made clear that the essential points of difference between the US and the USSR positions related to (1) the date on which the mandate would be terminated, and (2) the question of who would implement the GA recommendations. On the first point, the Soviet proposal called for the termination of the mandate on Jan. 1, 1948, followed by a transitional period, whereas the US proposal called for the termination of the mandate on July 1, 1948, simultaneously with the attainment of independence in Palestine.

On the second point, the Soviet position was that the SC should itself undertake the administration of Palestine during the period preceding independence, whereas the US position was that the steps preparatory to independence should be undertaken by the UK with the advice and assistance of a UN commission selected by the GA. These points of difference were not resolved. Tsarapkin (USSR) stated that the US suggestion gave no real responsibility to the SC. The mandatory power should lose all authority on Jan. 1, 1948, and only the SC had enough authority to take the necessary steps to carry out the GA recommendations. Therefore, the USSR felt that the Soviet proposals must be accepted.

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Austin