U.N. Economic Survey Mission Arrives in Lausanne; Will Confer with Israel Delegation

The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine entered its last week of work today with the arrival here of leading members of its economic survey mission to the Middle East. They will consult with the Commission before leaving for Beirut on Saturday.

During their two-day stay in Lausanne, Gordon R. Clapp, head of the survey mission, and his deputies will first confer with the members of the Conciliation Commission, then separately with the four Arab delegations and later with the Israelis. This procedure marks an important departure from previous practice here.

A great deal will depend on their initial contacts. The Commission has received reports from the Arab nations and from Israel of a mounting wave of opposition to the survey mission’s visits to those countries. The main source of opposition seems to be Syria which is probably the most important country in the survey mission’s resettlement plan for Arab refugees.

The successful formation of the survey mission is taken to mean here that Britain, France and the United States have reached basic agreement on their future policies for the Middle East. For example, the British Foreign Office kept the French and Americans fully informed on the recent London talks among King Abdullah of Transjordan, the Iraqi Prime Minister and the British Government.

These reports show that, so far, none of Abdullah’s demands has been met by the British. He has been referred to the survey mission on the question of financial aid. It is also emphasized that Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin was firm in discouraging Abdullah regarding any “adventures” in connection with his ambitions for a Greater Syria. This report has served to reassure the French.