The Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and the Protection of Minorities today continued the discussion of a proposal concerning a draft convention for the protection of national minorities. The proposal had been submitted jointly by Sweden, India and Ecuador.
Following critical comments by the representatives of the United States, France and the Soviet Union, the Sub-Commission agreed that certain points raised in the joint proposal may be considered again on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the meeting today decided by a vote of 8 to 0, with 3 abstentions, “to refrain, at this stage, from classifying minorities in greater details than afforded by its definition of minorities” adopted earlier this week. Jewish organizations consider this definition unsatisfactory since it restricts United Nations protection to minorities with considerable numbers of people thus leaving small Jewish communities in Moslem countries unprotected.
Dr. Isaac Lewin, representative of Agudas Israel, drew the attention of the Sub Commission to the recent decision of the Munich municipal council to ban shechita. He urged the Sub-Commission to include in its resolution a provision for the protection of religious rights.
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