U.S. Delegate Censures Iraq Representative at Trusteeship Council for Slur on Partition

The American delegate to the United Nations Trusteeship Council today censured the Iraq representative on the Council for an allegation made by the latter yesterday that the Palestine partition decision was adopted by the General Assembly under pressure from the United States.

“I am instructed by my government to state that this allegation is untrue, is not supported “by facts, and is completely rejected by my government,” the U.S. delegate said in a formal statement at the Council session. He emphasized that the American delegation will continue to participate in the implementation of the Trusteeship Council’s task of preparing a statute for the City of Jerusalem and administering the city on behalf of the U.N.”

The Chinese delegate on the Council told the session that the position of the Chinese Government on Palestine partition has not changed. He added that China will continue to participate in the technical work on Jerusalem “with no prejudice to any decision my government may take at a later stage.” The statement is important because China’s vote is badly needed to secure the minimum seven procedural votes at the Security Council when the Palestine report is considered there next week.

The Council has allotted time on its agenda for the Jewish Agency to make specific recommendations concerning certain sections of the working group’s draft of a statute. It must decide on a proposal giving non-Palestinian Jews immigration priority into the city. The police force of the city of Jerusalem would act as a military force in defense of the city, if the Council accepts a recommendation to that effect from its sub-group on an international statute for the city, it was revealed today.

Secretary-General Trygve Lie today released the letter he sent to the Jewish Agency in response to a formal request by the Agency that he forward its charges and documented proof of aggression to the Security Council. Although he does not refuse the Agency request, Mr. Lie expresses confidence that the Security Council will receive “an accurate account of the prevailing situation” in Palestine.

COLONIAL SECRETARY TELLS U.N. COMMISSION NOT TO GO TO PALESTINE NOW

After three hours of cross-examination by all five members of the Palestine Commission, British Colonial Secretary Arthur Creech-Jones today held firm to the British position against early entrance of the Commission into Palestine, against early formation of a militia, and against the early formation of Provisional Councils of Government in Palestine.

Today’s questions and answers ranged over all major issues between the Commission and the British Government on implementation of partition, and at times reached decisive differences bordering on open breaks.

At the end of insistent queries by the Commission members, chiefly on the possibility of getting their work done in the two weeks allowed them by the Mandatory power, Chairman Karel Lisicky virtually accused the British of unilateral action, especially in the withdrawal of troops.

Such a withdrawal, Lisicky repeatedly argued, must, by the decision of the General Assembly, be coordinated with the plans of the Commission. Creech-Jones replied that Britain was concerned only with the withdrawal of her forces as a purely military operation. He added that the Commission would be supplied with directives to local commanders, despite Lisicky’s protest that the plan must be executed the other way around.