The Cabinet has approved the Foreign Ministry’s recommendations about the stand to be adopted by the Israel delegation at the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly on various items on the agenda, it was announced here today.
The recommendations presented by Foreign Minister Golda Meir followed deliberations held during the past week at the Foreign Ministry with the participation of Ambassador Michael Comay, chairman of the Israel UN delegation.
It is understood that Israel will not discourage any possible move on the part of some nations to call for direct Israel-Arab negotiations. Such a move was initiated last year by a number of African and Latin American countries and received the support of 34 states. It failed, however, to get the necessary majority to ensure its passage. Both the Soviet Union and the United States opposed the move last year on the grounds that it was poorly timed.
In the contest for the post of President of the Assembly between representatives of Pakistan and Ceylon, Israel is expected to back the latter.
The major issue of the Arab refugees was discussed by the Cabinet only briefly and will be taken up again after the publication of reports by Dr. John H. Davis, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and by Joseph Johnson, Palestine Conciliation Commission emissary to the Middle East. No change was envisaged in Israel’s stand on this issue.
The appointment of Parliamentary members of Israel’s delegation to the General Assembly was postponed until next week’s Cabinet session because of difficulties that developed within Herut and the National Religious party over the nomination of delegates.
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