The United Nations is still unable to round up member nations who are willing to serve on a General Assembly mission to investigate the conditions among Arabs in Israeli-occupied territories. Fourteen countries have declined requests. Among those who turned down requests recently by Peruvian Ambassador Luis Alvardao, who made them on behalf of the Assembly, have been Italy, Mexico and Chile. The Phillipines and Rumania have not responded. The Arab delegations here have pressed for early action.
Israel bitterly opposed the Assembly resolution for the probe, passed by a minority vote last December, saying it would not admit the mission unless there were comparable efforts to investigate the condition of Jews in Arab nations.
The late President of the General Assembly, Emilio Arenales of Guatemala, had difficulty finding candidates for the mission before he died a few months ago. Secretary-General U Thant polled UN members on means of finding a successor to Mr. Arenales to carry out the latter’s residual functions. Following this inquiry, the 16 other vice presidents of the 23rd Assembly session appointed Mr. Alvarado to operate on their behalf for this purpose.
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