206. Editorial Note
On March 20, Representative at the United Nations, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., requested the President of the Security Council to convene an early meeting of the Council to consider the Palestine question. On March 21, Lodge submitted a draft resolution for the Security Council which, if adopted, would: 1) consider that the situation then prevailing between the parties concerning the enforcement of the Armistice Agreements and the compliance given to the Council’s resolutions of March 30, 1955, September 8, 1955, and January 19, 1956, was such that its continuation was likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security; 2) request the Secretary-General to undertake, as a matter of urgent concern, a survey of the various aspects of enforcement of and compliance with the four General Armistice Agreements and the Council’s above-mentioned resolutions; 3) request the Secretary-General to arrange with the parties for the adoption of any measures which, after discussion with the parties and the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, he considered would reduce existing tensions along the Armistice Demarcation Lines, including the following points: a) withdrawal of their forces [Page 382] from the Armistice Demarcation Lines; b) full freedom of movement for the observers along the Armistice Demarcation Lines, in the Demilitarized Zones, and in the Defensive Areas; c) establishment of local arrangements for the prevention of incidents and the prompt detection of any violation of the Armistice Agreements; 4) call upon the parties to the Armistice Agreements to cooperate with the Secretary-General in the implementation of this resolution; and 5) request the Secretary-General to report to the Council in order to assist the Council in considering what further action might be required. (U.N. doc. S/3562 and Corr. 1)
For discussion, see U.N. docs. S/PV. 717 through S/PV. 722.
On April 4, the Security Council unanimously adopted the United States draft resolution. The Representative of the Soviet Union cast an affirmative vote despite his unsuccessful attempt earlier to amend the resolution.