Israel joined the majority of nations here in advocating a round-table rather than a cross-table type of gathering for the political conference of Korean peace conference, which must meet before the end of next month. The United States is the chief advocate of a cross-table conference between belligerents, but so far has found little support for its stand.
Ambassador Abba S. Eban told the First Political Committee that the conference should represent the spirit of a peace organization facing a common task “rather than groups of belligerents in a state of suspended war.” “My delegation,” he declared, “agrees with the views expressed on behalf of France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Yugoslavia that the political conference should develop a different atmosphere from that prevailing when the representatives of hostile armies confront each other as opposing sides at a truce negotiation.”
Mr. Eban said that the Israel delegation was “fully in accord” with the joint proposal of Australia, New Zealand, and Denmark on Soviet participation at the conference. The American view is that the Russians should be there but only as a representative of the Communist side.
As to the cruical question of an invitation for India, Mr. Eban said that Israel would act in “obedience to one criterion alone – the criterion of utility and the prospect of success in convening the conference and bringing it to agreement.” Then he paid tribute to Prime Minister Nehru of India and said that his “recent statement upholds this principle with exemplary force.”
Being against a round-table conference, the United States is opposed to any nonbelligerent such as India being at the conference, and the American delegate, Henry Cabot Lodge, announced that he would vote against the resolution inviting India.
In the course of his speech, the Israeli delegate paid a “profound tribute” to the 16 states which had provided troops for the United Nations action for what they had risked, endured and achieved in the common cause of resisting aggression. He said that the heavy losses suffered by the American people merited particular sympathy.
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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.
