357.AC/3–950: Telegram
The United States Representative on the Palestine Conciliation Commission (Palmer) to the Secretary of State
344. Palun 338. PCC is considering first draft of notes prepared by Secretariat for possible submission to Arab and Israeli delegations, text of which follows:
- “1. During past weeks, members of Commission have had informal conversations with Arab delegations and delegation of Israel regarding best procedure to be followed for ensuring concrete and positive results from their joint efforts. Commission wishes to submit following observations and suggestions for consideration of interested delegations and their governments.
- 2. In New York, Commission was requested by Arab delegations to extend procedure of conciliation to that of mediation; practical implications of such measure would be that Commission instead of restricting itself to trying to conciliate points of view of each party, would present proposals to them designed to serve as basis for discussion and study with view to reaching agreement on various questions outstanding between them.
- On other hand, Commission notes that delegation of Israel, in its statement to Commission on 30 January, has again indicated that it considers opening of direct negotiations between Arab states and state of Israel as only way in which Commission can contribute to fulfillment of its task.
- 3. Commission does not consider as incompatible these two points of view regarding procedure which have thus been set forth by Arab states and Israel respectively. Commission believes that they should be regarded as complementary. It would, indeed, be difficult to visualize how Commission could undertake procedure of mediation, in course of which it would be expected to submit proposals to parties, [Page 795] without assurance that these proposals could be examined and discussed at meetings between representatives of Commission itself and of all parties having interest in subject under discussion. In opinion of Commission, request of Arab states that it embark upon procedure of mediation and request of state of Israel that direct negotiations be undertaken are thus bound up with one another. Commission is prepared to accept both these requests and hopes establish thereby basis of new method of operation.
- 4. In this connection, Commission would like to present to parties certain clarifications:
- 5. Commission must reserve right of determining which questions would form subject of its proposals. Commission alone is in position to judge as to advisability of submitting at any given moment proposals on certain point. This will not prevent parties from informing Commission of questions on which, in their opinion, Commission could usefully take initiative. On contrary, parties would thus make most positive contribution to proper functioning of new method of operation. Commission attaches so much importance to this that it urges parties to keep it informed of all questions which they consider should form the subject of proposals by Commission. It is obvious that Commission would be obliged to carry out request coming jointly from one or more Arab delegations and from delegation of Israel.
- 6. As regards actual procedure, Commission considers it preferable not to adopt rigid rules. For moment, it envisages formation of joint committees under chairmanship of representative of Commission and composed of representatives of countries concerned in particular subject under discussion. In particular cases, of course, this general formula could be modified by mutual agreement between parties and commission. In principle (and having in mind possible modifications mentioned above), each committee would have precise and concrete terms of reference, consisting either of discussion and study of questions which Commission, in agreement with parties, had submitted to it for preliminary examination, or of study and discussion of proposal drawn up by Commission on its own initiative or at request of one or more delegations.
- 7. Commission hopes this new method of operation will meet with agreement in principle of parties. It realizes that certain details of actual method of application, and, particularly, of organization, functioning and procedure of joint committees, will need to be discussed further and agreed upon with the parties. Commission hopes that spirit of collaboration shown up to now by delegations and governments which they represent will permit agreement on this subject to be reached without delay.
- 8. Commission earnestly requests delegations to transmit their replies as soon as possible.”
Boisanger and Yalcin believe that above note represents only course open to PCC. I have indicated to them in preliminary discussions that some such approach is needed under present circumstances. I also made clear that it would be worthless without full support of three governments represented on PCC and that it would require careful study here and in our respective FonOffs. I believe that as first draft Secretariat note represents reasonable approach, which in fact emerges [Page 796] from my first statement as chairman to parties, the only alternative to which, I fear, would be complete stalemate as far as Commission is concerned. I hope Department will give it favorable consideration.