United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold pledged yesterday that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestine Arab refugees would “continue to exist until we find a solution to the refugee problem.”
Mr. Hammarskjold made this promise, which appears to fly in the face of prevailing sentiment among Western delegations at the last General Assembly, at a reception in his honor yesterday at the residence of the Egyptian military governor of Gaza.
Replying to various inflammatory addresses by Arab refugee leaders who referred to the refugees’ eventual return to their “stolen homeland.” the U.N. Secretary General said: “I know the truth and the circumstances of your problem and my feelings are similar to yours.” The Arab press also reported his expressions of hope that his actions would serve the best interests of the refugees and that be would “not betray the trust” put in him.
Observers here noted that Mr. Hammarskjold’s present mission in the Middle East included — at his suggestion — a study of the refugee problem in preparation for recommendations of a solution which would not perpetuate UNRWA and the refugee problem beyond 1960. His statement that UNRWA will continue until a “solution is found” to the refugee problem, was seen as prejudicing his recommendations.
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