The United States and a three-power group composed of India, Mali and Nigeria introduced separate draft resolutions to the Security Council today, each seeking solution of the Israel-Arab crisis.
The drafts were presented this afternoon after Egypt had formally requested an “urgent” meeting of the Council to consider the “dangerous situation” in the Middle East resulting from “the persistence of Israel in refusing to withdraw its forces from all the territory which it occupied as a result of its aggression committed on June 5” against Egypt, Syria and Jordan.
Mali’s chief representative here, M.B. Kanti, this month’s Council president, immediately went into consultation with all members of the 15-nation body to arrange for a meeting, which may be held as early as tomorrow or, at the latest, on Thursday. A third draft was expected to be presented before the Council meets by the Japanese delegation.
The U.S.A. again emphasized the five principles on the solution of the Mideast crisis voiced by President Johnson last June, but added a request that the Secretary-General name a special representative to “assist” both the Arabs and Israel to achieve “a just and lasting peace in the area.” It also called for the establishment of a demilitarized zone between Israel and the hostile Arab states, and requested that the shipment of arms to the Mideast states be limited.
Like the American draft, the three-power document called for withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied Arab areas. Both the three co-sponsors failed to mention the persistent Arab demands that such a withdrawal be immediate , or to request that Israel pull back its troops to the pre-June 5 armistice lines.
In regard to freedom of navigation, which both drafts emphasized, the three powers stressed that such navigation be consonant with “international law.” That phrasing obviously met Egypt’s insistence that, under international law, the Cairo Government must control the passage of ships through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Tiran.
UNITED STATES DRAFT EMPHASIZES SECURITY OF BORDERS, END TO BELLIGERENCE
The U.S. draft, expressing the “urgency of reducing tension and bringing about a just and lasting peace in which every state in the area can live in security,” and pointing out that all member states of the U.N. have obligated themselves under the world organization’s Charter to observe principles of peace and justice, would state that the Council:
“1.) Affirm that the fulfillment of the above Charter principles requires the achievement of a state of justice and lasting peace in the Middle East embracing withdrawal of armed forces from occupied territories, terminations of claims of state of belligerence and mutual recognition and respect for the right of every state in the area to sovereign existence, territorial integrity, political independence, secure and recognized boundaries, and freedom from the threat or use of force
“2.) Affirms further the necessity: a) for guaranteeing the freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area; b) for achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem; c) for guaranteeing the territorial inviability and political independence of every state in the area through measures including the establishment of demilitarized zones; d) for achieving a limitation of the wasteful and destructive arms race in the area
“3.) Requests the Secretary- General to designate a special representative to proceed to the Middle East to establish and maintain contacts with the states concerned with a view to assisting them in the working out of solutions in accordance with the purposes of this resolution and in creating a just and lasting peace in the area;
“4.) Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on the progress of the efforts of the special representative as soon as possible.”
THREE POWERS ALSO SPEAK OF PEACE BUT SUBTLY VOICE ANTI-ISRAEL PRINCIPLES
The India-Mali-Nigeria draft, emphasizing “the urgency of reducing tensions, restoring peace and bringing about normalcy in the region,” would aver that the Council:
“Affirms that a just and lasting peace in the Middle East must be achieved within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations and more particularly of the following principles;
“1.) Occupation or acquisition of territory by military conquest is inadmissible under the Charter of the United Nations, and consequently Israel’s armed forces should withdraw from all the territories occupied as a result of the recent conflict;
“2.) Likewise, every state has the right to live in peace and complete security, free from threats or acts of war and consequently all states in the area should terminate the state or claim of belligerency and settle their international disputes by peaceful means;
3.) Likewise, every state of the area has the right to be secure within its borders, and it is obligatory on all member states of the area to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of one another;
4.) Affirms further that there should be a just settlement of the question of Palestine refugees; there should be guarantees of freedom of navigation in accordance with international law through international waterways in the area;
5.) Requests the Secretary-General to dispatch a special representative to the area who would contact the states concerned in order to coordinate efforts to achieve the purposes of this resolution and to submit a report to the Council within 30 days.”
Israel Sees 3-Power Draft as Arab-Soviet Move Aiming for Israel’s Surrender
A spokesman for the Israeli delegation declared that “Israel sternly oppose the draft resolution submitted by India, Mali and Nigeria, which he called “an Arab-Soviet resolution trying to dictate the conditions of a surrender by Israel.” He told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the three-power draft “evades mentioning a peace settlement.”
As for the draft resolution submitted by the United States, he did not comment directly but said that “the governments concerned have to negotiate directly, and the United Nations has to encourage such negotiations.” He recalled that in 1949, the U.N. “showed wisdom” when it called on both parties to negotiate, resulting in armistice agreements between Israel and four Arab countries. Now, 19 years later, he said, “we cannot agree with the fact that the U.N. is evading its responsibility, based on the central chapter of its Charter, which calls on both parties to solve their difficulties by peaceful means.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
