Optimism was voiced in pro-Israel circles here today regarding the recommendations which the U.N. Security Council is expected to make in connection with Syria’s complaint against Israel’s hydroelectric project at Bnoth Yaacov, following an exchange of views between Ambassador Abba Eban and the heads of the American, British and French delegations, at the United Nations.
It is understood that the discussion between Mr. Eban and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, the chief of the U.S. delegation, was especially promising. The most important conclusion so far reached in the talks is the apparent acceptance by the three Western delegates of the principle that Syrian consent cannot be made a condition for renewal of the work.
From United Nations circles it is learned that this view has been transmitted both to Mr. Eban and to the Syrian delegate, Farid Zeineddine. In general, the Israeli representatives have not encountered any sentiment against the hydroelectric project itself.
On the other hand, the Western Powers attach great importance to the authority and functions of the United Nations chief of staff in Palestine and are resolved to ask him to renew his efforts to solve the problem in the field. This is in accordance with the procedure which led to the renewal of work on the Huleh drainage project in 1951.
The Israel delegate, while he has been assured that the Syrian contention will not be upheld, is still concerned lest the resolution will not be sufficiently specific to insure rapid agreement with Gen. Vagn Bennike on actual arrangements on resumption.
Ambassador Eban is known to be urging very strongly that the Western Powers, both in the resolution and in the speeches of its sponsors, give a clear directive on the basis of which an early resumption can be negotiated. He is also reported to be stressing the need for the sponsoring delegates to state officially in the Council that in renewing Gen. Bennike’s mandate to deal with the problem their purpose is to have him overcome the obstacles adduced against the project and not to subordinate the project to the obstacles.
It was largely because such a sentiment in favor of the project was expressed in May, 1951 by the sponsors of the Huleh resolution that Gen. Riley was able to proceed rapidly with the authorization of the work in the demilitarized zone, it was pointed out today in UN circles.
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