Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Arab-Israeli Dispute; United Arab Republic; North Africa, Volume XIII

110. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, December 4, 1959¹

Washington, December 4, 1959

SUBJECT

• Draft UNRWA Resolution

PARTICIPANTS

• United States
  • The Secretary
  • Mr. Parker T. Hart, Deputy Assistant Secretary, NEA
  • Mr. Woodruff Wallner, Deputy Assistant Secretary, IO
  • Mr. Alfred L. Atherton, Jr., Iraq-Jordan Desk Officer
• Jordan
  • His Excellency Musa Naser, Foreign Minister of Jordan
  • His Excellency Dr. Yusuf Haikal, Ambassador of Jordan

Mr. Naser opened the conversation by referring to the draft resolution on UNRWA being negotiated for submission to the United Nations Special Political Committee. He had asked for an appointment with the Secretary to emphasize the importance he attached to modifying the paragraph of the present draft concerning rectification of the UNRWA rolls (paragraph 8) in order to make possible the inclusion of certain categories of persons who had not up to now been eligible for UNRWA relief. The Jordanian delegation agreed that the rolls needed to be rectified, but felt that this should be done “properly”. Further discussion disclosed that the categories to which Mr. Naser referred were the so-called “economic refugees” (those who had lost their means of livelihood but not their homes), and Bedouin formerly resident in what is now Israel.

The Secretary replied that there was no objection to correcting the rolls “properly”, but that he had doubts about the feasibility of including economic refugees and Bedouin. As he understood it, they were not considered bona fide refugees, and their inclusion would greatly increase UNRWA’s financial burden. In any case, the details of relief administration should be left to UNRWA.

Mr. Naser stated that UNRWA could not include these persons unless a resolution were passed authorizing it to do so. His proposal could be carried out without increasing the overall cost to UNRWA, and he was prepared to have this condition incorporated in the resolution. Since many persons in these additional categories were more destitute than others now receiving relief, and since there would be no increase in overall costs, he wondered what objection there could be to his proposal.

The Secretary stated that he did not want to go into the details of the draft resolution. He wanted to emphasize, however, the importance we attached to correcting the relief rolls to eliminate present abuses, and in this connection noted the recent shocked reaction to these abuses in Congressional circles. Our concern was to see UNRWA funds used for the purpose for which they were made available. We could not, for example, understand why UNRWA rations should continue to be drawn against cards issued to persons who were now deceased.

Mr. Naser opined that the seriousness of this situation had been exaggerated, but reiterated that the Jordanian Government was not opposed to correcting such abuses. What he wanted was to make paragraph eight of the resolution refer not only to paragraphs 17 and 18 of the UNRWA Director’s Report, but to paragraphs 29, 30, 31 and 32 as well.

Ambassador Haikal interjected that, if this were not possible, another way of approaching the problem would be to eliminate from the resolution reference to any specific paragraphs of the Director’s Report.

Mr. Naser explained that he feared serious political repercussions in Jordan if the paragraph of the resolution relating to rectification of the rolls were passed in its present form. A modification of the resolution along the lines he was proposing would strengthen the hand of the Jordanian Government and enable it to move rapidly towards correction of existing abuses and long-range solutions of the basic problems involved. He would be prepared to recommend that his Government begin to take such steps in the near future, i.e., by March, 1960.

The Secretary stated that the Department would need time to study Mr. Naser’s proposal, and agreed to take it under consideration.

Mr. Naser said that there was another matter which he would like to mention. Both the Director of UNRWA and the UN Secretary General felt that a three year extension of the UNRWA mandate, as provided for in the present draft, was too little, and would create unnecessary administrative complications. They would prefer a four year extension, with provision for a review after two years. Mr. Naser said he sympathized with their view, and had promised to raise this point with the Secretary.

The Secretary replied that we would also give consideration to this suggestion. He was worried, however, about attempting to change the draft resolution at this late date. We had thought that in its present form it was acceptable to all concerned except the Israelis, and feared that any last minute tampering with the language might undo the work already accomplished.

Turning to paragraph four of the draft UNRWA resolution, Mr. Naser urged that it be amended to include the phrase “through repatriation or resettlement” after reference to “reintegration”. The Secretary inquired whether the Jordanians would accept the draft resolution if this change were made. Mr. Naser was noncommittal.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 320.511/12–459. Confidential. Drafted by Atherton and approved by S on December 21. Memoranda of the the portions of conversation on Algeria and aid to Jordan are ibid., Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. A summary of all three parts of the conversation was transmitted to Amman in telegram 1025, December 4. (Ibid., Central Files, 320.511/12–459)