501.BB Palestine/3–249: Telegram
The Consul at Jerusalem (Burdett) to the Secretary of State
178. Palun 63. Commission on March 1 agreed on text of first progress report to SYG of UN.1 Text being pouched Department.
Main sections of primarily narrative account Commission activities thus far were:
- 1.
- Establishment official headquarters at Government House Jerusalem.
- 2.
- Concentration on conciliation under GA resolution December 11.
- 3.
- Commission’s opinion Acting Mediator rather than Commission should conclude armistice negotiations under SC resolution November 16.
- 4.
- Quotation UNGA instructions re Jerusalem, Holy Places and refugees.
- 5.
- Establishment [garble2] committee re Jerusalem; meetings with Griffis re refugees and steps to obtain refugees expert; reference to Holy Places based on GA resolution December 11.
- 6.
- Brief account of official tour of Near East capitals for preliminary exchange of views.
- 7.
- Commission opinion Arab states and Israel were “definitely favorable to peace.” Further opinion, however, task would not be accomplished quickly or easily.
- 8.
- Commission action to invite Arab states to meet Commission Beirut March 21.
Yalcin and Yenisey of Turkish delegation departed Jerusalem for Ankara March 2; Boisanzer of French delegation plans depart for Paris March 4 or 5; both plan return Near East several days before March 21. Commission will, however, not suspend its activities but will continue work through committee[s] especially that on Jerusalem.
Sent Department 378, repeated Beirut 22, Damascus 8, Baghdad 8, Tel Aviv 15. Pouched Jidda 5, Cairo 11, Amman 10.
- The report, dated March 1 at Jerusalem, is printed in United Nations, Official Records of the Fourth Session of the General Assembly, Ad Hoc Political Committee, Annex to the Summary Records of Meetings, Volume II, 1949 (hereinafter identified as GA, 4th sess., Ad Hoc Political Committee, Annex, with the appropriate volume number), p. 1.↩
- Presumably, the word “special” was intended.↩