Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

357.AC/10–451: Telegram

The United States Representative on the Palestine Conciliation Commission (Palmer) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret
priority

Paris, October 4, 1951—10 p. m.

2022. Palun 452. As indicated Palun 451,² PCC has continued urge acceptance by Israel and Arab dels our preamble as necessary preliminary to consideration comm’s five proposals. PCC recd Oct 1 Israel proposal dated 28 Sept (annex A below)³ for formal peace pact. On 28th I had requested Fischer call on me and read to him paraphrase of Unpal 292 as friendly expression US view. Fischer stated he wld immed inform his govt of these views but made no ref to Israel’s proposal. In subsequent informal meetings with Israel reps, US del and secretariat officers informed Israel del we did not believe formal pact as proposed by Israel was feasible at this time and continued urge desirability agreement upon declaration conforming to Comm’s own preamble.

Meanwhile no formal meeting between Comm and Israel del has been held pending outcome further talks with Arab dels. These talks have shown that Arab dels are not willing subscribe to any declaration which in their opinion goes beyond undertakings of respective armistice agreements. It is apparent that dels of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have adapted their attitude to that of Egypt, and that Egyptian rep is adamant in declining go beyond reaffirmation undertakings of Egyptian armistice agreement. Specifically he will not agree to include any ref to (a) settlement of all differences present or future solely by resort to pacific procedures or (b) refraining from acts of hostility. His position is obviously governed by Egyptian attitude toward Suez question.

As indicated Palun 451, PCC has continued feel minimum satisfactory reply to Israel’s proposal for nonaggression pact is acceptance by Arab states of declaration in form and substance as submitted by Comm to parties and that similarly Israel shld accept declaration in form proposed by PCC without making issue of something PCC itself had not asked Arab states to accept. After thorough exploration with Arab dels of possibilities for agreement on declaration conforming in substance to PCC preamble it now seems clear PCC will risk complete breakdown of present conf unless it can find way accept from Arabs something less than substance proposed preamble. We are aware of course that this will not satisfy Israel’s demands, but believe best procedure is to turn now to consideration PCC’s five proposals by indicating PCC itself is satisfied parties statements have brought about conditions which PCC had regarded as desirable for creation atmosphere conducive to negots. With this procedure in view, Comm today recd from Arab dels text of a declaration which they had agreed upon among themselves for presentation to Comm (quoted as annex B below).⁴ Comm intends meet tomorrow with Israel del to hear explanation Israel’s proposed nonaggression pact. Fol this mtg and in absence new factors arising from tomorrow’s mtg with Israel del indicating departure from their insistence on formal nonaggression pact, Comm proposes address to each of dels of Israel and Arab states fol ltr:

[Here follows draft letter, with annexes, addressed by the Chairman of the Palestine Conciliation Commission to the Delegations of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria and to the Delegation of Israel. For the text of the letter as sent on October 6, see U.N. Doc. A/1985, page 15.]

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Palmer

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1. Repeated for information to London, Ankara, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Damascus, Beirut, Amman, and Jerusalem.
2. Dated September 27, p. 879.
3. Not printed; the text of this draft nonaggression pact between the Government of Israel and each of the Governments of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, submitted to the PCC by the Delegation of Israel on September 28, is printed as Appendix I to the Commission’s letter of October 6 in U.N. Doc. A/1985, p. 16.
4. Not printed; the text of the draft declaration submitted to the PCC on October 3 by the Delegations of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria is printed as Appendix II to the Commission’s letter of October 6, ibid.