501.BB Palestine(E)/9–1349
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Aide-Mémoire
It is believed that the United States and the United Kingdom are in substantial agreement in principle with respect to the Palestine question, and in this connection reference is made to informal conversations which took place in July and August between representatives of the United States Government and representatives of the British Government both in Washington and in London. However, it is desired to make certain specific comments on some of the points raised in the Aide-mémoire:1
- 1.
-
- (a)
- The Department of State assumes that when the Aide-mémoire refers to resettlement in general terms, as in paragraph 1, (a), (b), and (c), it means to include repatriation. While it is true that major emphasis will have to be placed on resettlement, it is essential that repatriation should also play an important role in the solution of this question.
- (b)
- While it is clear that the final disposition of the refugee problem would be facilitated and hastened by a territorial settlement, the Department of State believes that the refugee problem can be disposed of in large measure on the basis of existing territorial delimitations. In other words, the absence of a territorial settlement should not prevent the development and implementation of plans for the repatriation and resettlement of the refugees.
- (c)
- The Department of State does not believe that the question of the disposition of refugees should be approached from the point of view that after Israel has accepted a certain number of refugees for repatriation the remainder will have to be resettled by the Arab states. On the contrary, it is believed that the ability of Israel and the Arab states to absorb the refugees should be determined on the basis of an authoritative technical study. It is probable that such a study will indicate that all the refugees can only be accommodated if a certain degree of international assistance is provided. It is anticipated that the Economic Survey Mission will be able to provide this authoritative study, as well as the scale of international assistance which would be required. It is therefore considered preferable to urge Israel and the Arab states to assist the Economic Survey Mission in its work and on the basis of technical and economic considerations, to accept repatriation and resettlement on the scale required to accommodate all the refugees.
- 2.
-
- (a)
- The Department of State feels that it would be inadvisable to put to Israel and the Arab states any specific plan for territorial settlement. It believes that the question of territorial settlement is a matter for determination by the parties concerned either directly or [Page 1380] through the Palestine Conciliation Commission. However, it considers that a discussion of the problem of territorial settlement with the Arab states and Israel in order to obtain their views might be useful at a somewhat later date.
- (b)
- In view of the fact that relief requirements for the next year cannot be fully assessed until the Economic Survey Mission has made its report, the Department of State hopes that it will be possible for the Foreign Office to withhold its determination concerning the maximum amount which it might contribute to the relief program. While we are fully in accord with the view of the Foreign Office that every effort should be made to secure proportionate contributions from other member states, the Department of State believes that the efforts of our respective governments to secure a more equitable distribution of the relief burden might be jeopardized if the proposed United Kingdom contributions were determined at this stage.
- 3.
- As the Arab states have thus far shown no disposition to discuss resettlement quantitatively, and as Israel’s offer to repatriate 100,000 refugees is not acceptable to the Arabs, it is clear that both will have to adopt a more flexible and compromising attitude in order that agreement can be reached. The Department of State believes that it should be stressed now and during the General Assembly, if the matter is raised, that Israel and the Arab states between them have the primary responsibility with respect to the refugee problem and should contribute to its solution in such a manner that all the refugees would be accommodated, through repatriation and resettlement. Under these circumstances, it would not be desirable to give even an approximation of the figures involved in connection with repatriation and resettlement.
- 4.
- While the Department of State does not have an analysis of the total contributions to UNRPR as of date, it understands that the anticipated contributions including a further United States contribution on the matching basis are not likely to be sufficient to finance UNRPR until the end of the current year. It is further understood that the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee of UNRPR which is scheduled to meet September 29, 1949, will be asked to review this situation and to make recommendations thereon. It is the view of the Department of State that if the funds received by UNRPR are not sufficient to insure continuation of operations until the end of 1949, the General Assembly should take interim action authorizing an advance from the UN Working Capital Fund to enable UNRPR to continue to that date, and pending General Assembly action on the 1950 program after receiving the report of the Economic Survey Mission.
In view of the lack of progress in the field of conciliation thus far and the subsequent decision to shift the emphasis from the political to the economic through the establishment of the Economic Survey Mission, the Department of State is of the opinion that it would be wise to defer an approach to the Arab states and Israel on political questions for the time being—at least until adequate time has been afforded for the Economic Survey Mission to demonstrate its effectiveness in creating a more favorable atmosphere.