The Soviet Government has not yet made up its mind with regard to the question of international trusteeships for mandated territories, including Palestine, it was indicated by Foreign Commissar Molotov addressing a press conference.
Emphasizing that while the Soviet delegation has reached a complete understanding with Britain and the United States regarding all amendments to the Dumbarton Oaks proposals which will be submitted to the plenary session of the United Nations conference, no commitments have yet been made by it regarding the proposed trusteeship system over colonies and mandated areas.
Mr. Molotov used the British term, “territorial trusteeship,” rather than the American term “international trusteeship,” when he spoke of the Soviet attitude toward the proposed trusteeship plan. He said the Soviet delegation is still studying the British and American drafts which differ very much, both with regard to such mandated territories as Palestine as well as territories not under League of Nations mandate.
All that Molotov disclosed was that “the USSR will actively participate in consideration of the trusteeship problem in its entirety,” which was interpreted by some to mean than when the Soviet attitude will be formulated it will also cover territories under Mandate “A” of the League of Nations, of which Palestine is the only remining one.
Jewish leaders here are impressed by the fact that Molotov emphasized that the Soviet delegation was strongly behind the proposal for astablishment by the General Assembly of the international security organization of a Commission for Humen Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, but Zionist leaders are watching with suspicion the proposals for regional arrangements which are now under discussion by the Big Four, since it is known that the Arab delegations are working hard to have the Pan-Arab League recognised by the conference as a regional unit for the entire Middle East within the new world system.
Should the Arab request be granted, Palestine would fall within their “regional security” supervision. Jewish Agency representatives are, therefore, trying to bring to the attention of the Big Four the fact that Jews are not indifferent to whether the Pan-Arab League will be recognised by the conference as the regional unit for the Middle East.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
