501.BB Palestine/12–748: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Acting Secretary of State
5137. Following obtained today from Burrows re Palestine. Department may wish repeat substance paragraph 1 below to Cairo, Beirut, Baghdad, Damascus, Jidda, Karachi.
1. UK has decided to take at UNGA no further initiative re Palestine, believing time has come for UK to “sit back”. UK efforts behalf Arabs have brought it no thanks and Foreign Office sees no reason why it should court further blame for probably bad consequences either UK resolution as it now stands or for much simpler alternative resolution by lobbying actively for either resolution. Burrows said that following instructions were sent to UKDel Paris repeated for similar action with home governments to British ME Missions:
“You should not join in any lobbying on either resolution but you should explain situation frankly to Arab delegates. You should make it clear that you regard their opposition to stronger parts of our original draft resolution as highly irresponsible and as seriously prejudicing best interest of Arabs. Such action on their part makes it practically impossible for us to attempt to cooperate with them any more. Arabs have clearly shown that they do not wish for our advice on this question and we are not giving them any further advice. We merely wish to inform them that we shall vote for either of two resolutions now under consideration since we consider them even in their emasculated state as being rather better than nothing at all.”
[Here follow paragraphs numbered 2 and 3.]
Sent Department 5137, repeated Paris for Gadel 994.