501.BB Palestine/8–149: Telegram
Mr. John C. Ross to the Secretary of State
878. Bunche, with whom I discussed question this afternoon, continues to favor lifting arms embargo and said he planned to make this position clear to Eban whom he was seeing later this afternoon. He stressed that any attempt to maintain embargo was unrealistic since it would require to be effective rebuilding truce supervision organization in order to establish observers at all airfields and ports in area and getting permission of states concerned, including Israel, to do so, which permission he was sure would not be forthcoming. He also stressed that if this subject were debated, facts of Israeli imports from eastern Europe would inevitably be brought out. In addition he anticipated whole question of immigration of fighting personnel and men of military age into Israel, contrary to truce provisions, would also be brought out.
I told Bunche Department had not yet reached decision and would want to take his views into account. As alternative to lifting embargo I asked what he thought of idea of Council deferring action on his report leaving aside his own personal inclinations. He thought it would be very bad to follow this course, SC, he said, called on the parties for prompt action in effecting armistice as transition between truce and permanent peace. Parties have in good faith and despite [Page 1275] serious obstacles complied with SC request for action. It would be therefore an act of bad faith of part of SC to defer action on his report at this time. Such deferment would be interpreted as expression of lack of confidence in parties, particularly in view of fact armistice agreements (see for example article 3 of Syrian agreement) contain very strong nonaggression pledges. Furthermore, leaving his personal inclinations aside, he as mediator would be supposed, if the Council deferred action, to do a lot of things which are now obsolete and impractical.
Bunche hopes very much it will be possible for Council to complete action on his report at Thursday’s meeting. He hoped US would sponsor his draft resolution but agreed it would be better for Canada to do so if they are willing.
On terms of Bunche’s draft resolution he agreed it would be better to eliminate language referring to Conciliation Commission in last two paragraphs and said if it were suggested in the Council to eliminate this language, he would support this suggestion and say that from the standpoint of the work of the PCC it would be better for it not to become involved in observance of the cease fire.