In a long address replete with philosophical phraseology, Dr. Charles Malik of Lebanon today accused the United Nations, which is holding its tenth anniversary session here, of both “action” and “inaction” in connection with the “eternal” problems besetting the Middle East.
Without once mentioning Israel, Dr. Malik told the United Nations representatives here that there has been “no respite” from the Middle East problems in the United Nations and that there will be no respite because those problems are “essential.”
“The United Nations,” he said, “is in a special way responsible for the situation in the Middle East. The United Nations left much to be desired in the Middle East, both through action and through inaction. No greater injustice can be imagined than that that has befallen the Arabs in the Middle East. We hope that the United Nations will be able to resolve that situation in the coming decade.”
Again without naming anyone, Dr. Malik evidently appealed to the Western Powers to “resolve” the Middle East situation by declaring: “Let the interested powers resolve the situation and bring about real justice in the Middle East.”
In the very opening of his speech, Dr. Malik, in summarizing “progress” achieved by Lebanon in the last ten years since the founding of the UN, declared his “pride in our helping to found the League of Arab States.” Later he referred again to the Arab League by declaring that its formation and actions have been consonant with the principles of the United Nations and by urging the members of the United Nations to let “no impediment stand in the way of the Arabs associating.”
Moussa Al-Shabandar, delegate of Iraq, speaking at last night’s session, said: “For us Arabs there were some bitter moments in the proceedings of the United Nations during the last ten years. The tragedy of Palestine has cut deep into the heart of every Arab. And the misery of nearly 1,000,000 Arab refugees cannot be forgotten. Nor can we forget the sad situation in North Africa.”
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