The Israel Government’s attitude toward United Nations Secretary-General Trygve Lie’s ten-point peace program and to a Soviet-sponsored resolution on peace was outlined here today by Abba S. Eban, Israel’s permanent delegate to the U.N., addressing the plenary session of the General Assembly.
Demanding a “new attempt” to solve the problem of atomic weapons control as suggested by Mr. Lie, Mr. Ehab nevertheless warned sharply against any attempt to isolate the atomic discussion, and thus give the impression that the use of conventional armaments for aggression stands on a higher moral plane than the aggressive use of atomic weapons. “We should aspire to the complete repudiation of war, not to its mere regulation by the renunciation of one weapon and the retention of others,” the Israel delegate said.
He then proceeded to endorse the suggestions of the Secretary and the Soviet Union for an increase in economic cooperation through U.N. technical agencies. He asserted that “our generation is coming increasingly to realize the close and intimate relationship between world peace and an equitable social order.” He emphasized that “assistance should not involve interference in the freedom of assisted countries.”
EBAN BACKS MAJORITY’S POSITION AGAINST RUSSIA’S STAND ON AGGRESSION
On the proposed means of U.N. action in the event of aggression–where the Soviet position is at variance with the majority of the U.N. membership over action to be taken in the event of a lack of unanimity on the Security Council–the Israel representative again backed the majority position which permits the General Assembly to act in the event of a deadlock on the Council. He also opposed the Soviet proposal that the issue be reopened in plenary session of the Assembly.
Referring to the suggestion that the People’s Government of China be admitted to the Security Council as a precondition for Soviet agreement to expansion of the scope of the Council, Mr. Eban pointed out that his government favored both the admission of Communist China and the expansion of Council function, but could not agree to make one a precondition of the other. He also called for the admission of the many European states which are still not members of the United Nations.
“What a notable and imaginative step this session of the General Assembly would take if it were to summon up the resolution and initiative to bring the candidates for membership into our midst and thus complete the family circle of independend nations,” he declared.
He expressed support of a nine-nation resolution which would refer the Secretary-General’s program to the appropriate organs of the U.N. for more specific consideration than is possible during a general debate in the plenary session of the Assembly.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
