Office of the Historian

330/4–1351: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Mission at the United Nations1

confidential
Washington, April 13, 1951—3 p. m.

845. Re impending SC consideration Syrian-Israeli allegations armistice violations, fol US position shld be transmitted in confidence UKDel and FrDel only. Embassies London, Paris requested do same.

1.
View need for establishing facts, parties and Riley shld be heard by SC, and latest field reports from MACs re status Israeli-Syrian disputes shld be required by SC.
2.
US Rep’s role during presentation in SC by Israel, Syria, Riley and MAC during submission report will be one of attempting elicit all facts and to be sure complaints have thorough airing. However, efforts enlarge scope grievances during course presentation cases to be discouraged by US Rep, privately if such efforts can be anticipated and publicly if necessary in the Council. US will be prepared present its views in SC fol steps in para 1.
3.
While facts elicited by SC might affect eventual draft res, on basis of facts now at hand, Dept’s thinking on possible res which might be introduced in SC with joint sponsorship generally along fol lines:
a.
Reminding parties past concern of SC in achieving final peace in area;
b.
Reminding parties of obligations under Art 2, para 4 of UN Charter2 and commitments under Armistice Agreement that there shall be no resort to mil action against each other and accordingly noting incidents and, if useful purpose will be served, condemning actions of party or parties demonstrated to be at fault3 as inconsistent with obligations undertaken;
c.
Calling upon parties to use available armistice machinery and abide by decisions thereof;
d.
Endorsing Riley’s views that rights of parties are held in abeyance in demilitarized zone and accordingly directives of Chairman MAC pursuant his auth Art 5 Armistice Agreements shld be respected;
e.
Declaring that it is SC view that parties cannot refuse participate in MAC mtgs;
f.
Reminding parties obligations under Charter and Armistice Agreement to reach a permanent peace;
g.
Calling on Chief of Staff UNTSO to report at end of 30 days on compliance given to res.4
Acheson
  1. Telegram drafted by Mr. Ludlow and cleared by UNA, NE, and NEA. Transmission approved by Mr. Hickerson personally. Repeated for information to Damascus, Jerusalem, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv.↩
  2. For text of the Charter of the United Nations, signed at San Francisco, June 26, 1945, see TS No. 993, or 59 Stat. (pt. 2) 1031.↩
  3. Between the words “fault” and “as” in the source text the following phrase is crossed out: “, e.g. retaliatory bombing,”. The change was initialed by Mr. Hickerson.↩

  4. In telegram 6228 from Paris, April 14, the Embassy reported in part that officials of the Foreign Office had “expressed entire approval” of the position of the United States outlined above. (683.84A/4–1451)

    In telegram 5466 from London, April 17, the Embassy stated in part that the Foreign Office’s instructions to the United Kingdom Delegation at the United Nations corresponded to numbered paragraphs 1 and 2 above, but that the United Kingdom had not yet taken a position regarding the substance of the resolution. According to the Embassy the Foreign Office Was inclined to regard the question of sovereignty in the demilitarized zone as too complex for consideration in the present resolution. (683.84A/4–1751).

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