Joint Anglo-soviet Statement Outlines Stand on Arab-israel Issue

Britain and the Soviet Union, in a joint statement, today called upon the Arab countries and Israel “to take measures to prevent increased tension in the area of the demarcation line established in accordance with the relevant armistice agreement.” The statement was issued over the signatures of British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden, Soviet Premier Nikolai Bulganin and leader of the Soviet Communist Party Nikita Khrushchev. It summarizes the result of the talks in London between Prime Minister Eden and the Soviet leaders on the Middle East situation, and reads as follows:

“The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union have the firm intention to do everything in their power to facilitate the maintenance of peace and security in the Near and Middle East. For this purpose they will give the necessary support to the United Nations in its endeavor to strengthen the peace in the Palestine region and to carry out the appropriate decisions of the United Nations Security Council.

“The governments of the two countries consider that effective measures should be undertaken in the immediate future to this end in accordance with the national aspirations of the peoples concerned with the necessity of ensuring their independence and in full conformity with the principles expressed in the United Nations Charter.

“The governments of the two countries call on the states concerned to take measures to prevent increase of tension in the area of the demarcation line established in accordance with the relevant armistice agreement between Israel and the Arab states. They will also support the United Nations in an initiative procedure of peaceful settlement, on a mutually acceptable basis, of the dispute between the Arab states and Israel.

“They recognize the importance of the problem of the refugees and accordingly will support action by the United Nations directed towards alleviation of their hardship. The governments of the two countries express strong hope that other states will also do everything possible to help the United Nations in bringing about a peaceful solution of the dispute between the Arab states and Israel and thus to strengthen peace and security in the Near and Middle East.”