501.BB Palestine/10–2948: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
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Delga 533. Eyes alone for Lovett from Rusk. Our friends came to our rescue in SC today and, on basis Canadian suggestion, SC established drafting subcommittee to harmonize various suggestions made reference joint UK–China resolution.1 That covers us over weekend and gives Israeli delegation chance to demonstrate to subcommittee members (UK, China, France, Belgium and Ukraine) that northern [Page 1529] Negev matter can be settled without major truce violation. USDel proposed to take no action this matter whatever. At no point in SC consideration UK–China resolution has USRep spoken or voted on merits. Most unlikely that matter can arise before Tuesday or Wednesday because Monday is national French holiday and UN is closed. US vote Thursday against two-day postponement was within framework our then existing instructions to support UK–China draft, and was cast in light of acute embarrassment which would have arisen had we appeared anxious to postpone, particularly in light postponement GA and clearly drawn issue on maintenance of truce on which our policy has never been thought to be equivocal. Up to moment of vote, Soviets were only delegations suggesting postponement and spotlight was squarely upon USRep. Actually, US vote made no difference since vote was 4 for 4 against with three abstentions.
You will be interested that senior secretariat officials informed us this morning that Israeli delegation was passing word around that President had instructed USDel not to support UK–China resolution almost as soon as we ourselves had received relevant telegram. All press having representatives in Paris now carrying this story which they are attributing to “unimpeachable source”. USDel is saying absolutely nothing on this point.
Cadogan has rolled with our punch but is placed in difficult position which we shall try to work out with British in Paris pending such time as we know what we can do.
Sent to Department; repeated London eyes alone for the Secretary and Douglas as 1153. [Rusk.]
- The United Kingdom and China, on October 29, submitted to the Security Council a revision of their joint draft resolution. Like its predecessor version, it did not call for the imposition of sanctions; for text, see SC, 3rd yr., Supplement for October 1948, p. 72. Before acting on the revision, the Council adopted, without a formal vote the Canadian draft resolution (SC, 3rd yr., No. 123, p. 22; for the text of the resolution, see SC, 3rd yr., Resolutions, 1948, p. 27.)↩