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

357.AC/10–451: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Representative on the Palestine Conciliation Commission (Palmer), at Paris¹

secret
priority

Washington, October 5, 1951—8:02 p. m.

2035. Unpal 293. Re: Palun 452.² Dept has fol suggestions which your discretion you shld discuss with colleagues as possible alternative present plans to which Dept has no basic objection:

A. Instead submitting note in ref tel to Arab Israel Dels, PCC shld submit fol compromise proposal: “The Dels of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, and the Del of Israel declare that their respective govts, as signatories to armistice agreements concluded pursuant to UNSC’s Res of 16 Nov 1948, with a view to facilitating the pacific settlement of the Pal problem, reaffirm their intention to respect their undertakings given in the said agreements, not to resort to mil force in the settlement of the Pal question, and to respect the right of each party to its security and freedom from fear of attack by the armed forces of the other.” You will note redraft similarity to Arab draft with deletion ref continuance work PCC and deletion “in accordance with UN resolutions.”

B. PCC shld urge acceptance its redraft as a most conclusive public manifestation intention of parties and least likely to misunderstanding from contentious phrasing. Inquiries from any del re deletion ref continuance work PCC should be answered by noting purpose of conference and declaration is not continuance of PCC work but of settlement of Palestine’s problem. Comment on deletion of reference to UN resolutions should be avoided since maintenance this ref may restrict any Arab discussion PCC 5 point proposal and mgt be used by Arab Dels as a basis for the justification unwillingness negotiate without prior settlement refugee problem.

C. If dels insist on amendments to compromise draft which are objectionable to Commission, Commission could deliver letter outlined in Palun 452 of which last two paras particularly important.

D. Dept agrees US Dels position re formal pact as proposed by Israel. Inform Fischer US hopes Israel can accept compromise draft promptly as being surest way of proceeding to discussions specific 5 points.

E. Arab Dels and in particular Egypt shld be urged to accept compromise draft as substantial concession by PCC to end apparent objection to POC’s original suggestion that all differences present or future being settled solely by specific procedures and further deletion ref to the refraining of any use of force and hostility. You mgt advise Egypt Del in friendly confidence deletion these elements PCC original draft mgt have unfortunate connotation if no agreed declaration reached and public speculation arises from failure to reach prompt agreement on public declaration. If PCC believes Dept’s suggested step would merely result in prolonged wrangle conf shld proceed as now planned.³

Webb

1. Drafted by Messrs. Ludlow and Waldo; approved for transmission by Mr. Popper. Repeated for information to London, Ankara, Cairo, Tel Aviv, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, and Jerusalem.
2. Dated October 4, p. 885.

3. The revised text of the letter of October 6 addressed by the PCC to the Delegations of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria and to the Delegation of Israel was transmitted by Ambassador Palmer in Palun 453, identified also as telegram 2047 from Paris, October 6, not printed (357.AC/10–651). For text, see U.N. Doc. A/1985, p. 15.

   Ambassador Palmer reported on October 8 that the U.S. Delegation to the PCC had just that morning received Unpal 293, 2 days after submission of the October 6 letter. Had Unpal 293 been received earlier, he stated, the U.S. Delegation would have made further efforts in accordance with the Department’s suggestions. Palun 454, identified also as telegram 2056 from Paris, not printed. (357.AC/10–851)