The United Nations Trusteeship Council, which is currently on its second reading of a 1948 draft of an international statute for Jerusalem, will complete its consideration of the statute this week, but will then adjourn until March 19 before voting on it, it was learned here today.
Observers here believe that at that time it will be too late for the Council to undertake a discussion of ways and means of implementing the statute before the Council concludes its session on April 6–particularly in view of the fact that the Council has a good deal more business on its agenda besides Jerusalem.
Under its present schedule the Council plans to meet again at Lake Success in the latter half of June. The prevailing opinion among members of the Council is that the body will be compelled at that time to turn back the entire problem of implementation of an international regime for Jerusalem to the General Assembly. These same members believe that at that time the Assembly will reverse itself and will desert the principle of internationalization.
However, there is a feeling among the delegates from the Catholic countries that the Assembly will reaffirm, more strongly, its views in favor of an international trusteeship. These delegations are already preparing themselves for what they call “the decisive battle of Jerusalem.”
Today’s discussion centered about the provision in the draft statute dealing with the rights of citizons of Jerusalem under the proposed regime. The existing formula states that all residents of Jerusalem shall have the right to vote and be elected members of the city’s legislature.
Iraq, opposing this, suggested that only citizens of Jerusalem and members of the Christian religious institutions be given the vote. Thus, residents of the city who opt for Israel or Transjordan citizenship–and most are expected to fall into this category–would be disenfranchised.
The French then proposed a compromise–the establishment of a 36-member legislature, divided equally among Jews, Christians and Moslems.
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