Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

683.84A322/12–1653

No. 754
Statement by the United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) Before the Security Council on December 16, 1953¹

New York, December 16, 1953

The Security Council since October 27 has had under consideration the Syrian complaint on the diversion of the Jordan River. We have heard the representatives of Syria, Israel, Lebanon and Pakistan in a number of important statements. The United States has followed the development of the debate with intense interest. As a result, we have come to the following conclusions:

• First, strict compliance with the armistice agreement entered into between Israel and Syria is of vital importance to the peace of the area and this question is intimately involved in the present case.
• Second, the primary responsibility of the Security Council in this matter is to uphold that armistice agreement which it endorsed in its resolution of August 11, 1949 as superseding the truce and facilitating the transition to permanent peace. The agent of the Security Council for these purposes is the chief of staff of the truce supervision organization.
• Third, development projects which are consistent with the undertakings of the parties under the armistice agreement and which are in the general interest and do not infringe upon established rights and obligations should be encouraged.

The decision of the chief of staff for the continuance of the diversion of the Jordan river project would be subject to these considerations. The chief of staff, as the authority responsible for the general supervision of the demilitarized zone, is the proper authority to determine whether the project now in question meets these conditions. Any unilateral action, from whatever side, which is not consistent with this authority of the chief of staff threatens the effective operation and enforcement of the armistice agreement. Similarly, no government should, in our opinion, exercise a veto power over legitimate projects in the demilitarized zone.

On the basis of these conclusions, the United States has joined with France and the United Kingdom in submitting for the consideration of the Council, the draft resolution² which has been circulated. This resolution makes clear in our opinion:

(a) That the chief of staff of the truce supervision organization, as chairman of the Syrian-Israel mixed armistice commission, is the responsible authority with respect to questions affecting the demilitarized zone under Article 5 of the armistice agreement;

(b) That the issues raised by the Jordan River diversion project should be judged by the chief of staff in accordance with his authority under the armistice agreement, and

(c) That in these and other questions concerning the status of the demilitarized zone an important consideration should be the just and orderly development of the natural resources affected, with due regard for the general welfare and the interests of the parties and individuals concerned.

To these ends, Mr. President, we hope that the Governments of Israel and Syria will cooperate fully with the chief of staff and that they will mutually benefit from his decisions. In the opinion of the United States, the draft resolution represents the proper line of action for the Security Council to take in this case.

1. The statement was made to introduce the tripartite draft resolution (U.N. doc. S/3151) on behalf of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This is a verbatim text as sent to the Department on Dec. 16 in telegram 279 from New York (683.84A322/12–1653); for the text as printed in the Security Council Official Records, see U.N. doc. S/PV.648.
2. U.N. doc. S/3151.