The United Kingdom delegation was still waiting today for final word from U.N. Secretary General Trygve Lie as to whether he has succeeded in securing the unanimous approval of the Big Five for his proposal that a United Nations fact-finding committee on Palestine be formed to make recommendations to the General Assembly.
Until it hears from Mr. Lie and until instructions are received from London as to the form in which the U.N. delegation should place the Palestine issue before the United Nations , no formal submission will take place, a spokesman for the delegation told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today.
United Nations sources told the JTA that while no official replies have been received by Lie from the Big Five governments, it is understood that three of the five governments are inclined to approve Lie’s proposal . It is believed that the two who are still hestitating are the United States and the Soviet Union.
A State Department sources said that the U.S. has not expressed any opinion on Lie’s proposal because it is still under study. A spokesman for the Department said that the proposal has not yet been “finalized ,”and termed “Inexact” the interpretation given by several New York newspapers, which reported that the U.S. in hesitating to take a definite stand on the Lie proposal because the decision may be important for American ‘s future interests in the Nediterranean countries.
CANNOT MAKE DECISION LIGHTLY, HEAD OF U.S. DELEGATION SAYS
Warran R. Austin, head of the U.S. delegation at the United Nations, said today that he had “no indication as yet” from Washington on the American position. ” This is too serious for us to reach a decision lightly,” he declared. A Soviet spokesman similarly observed that “this is a very delicate situation. “
Telegrams urging that the United States oppose Lie’s proposal were sent today to Secretary of State Marshall and Mr. Austin by the American League For A Free Palestine. Signed by former Senator Gay M. Gillette, President of the League, and other officers, the telegrams pointed out that such a committee ” would Jack legal. status and its findings could be ignored ” and cited the delay occasional c### commissions of inquiry such as the Anglo-American Committee in 1946. They ? that the constitutional and legal methods provided by the United Nations #### for treatment of problems ###sing about mandated territories be invoiced ####
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