Latin American Bloc at U.N. Backs Argentine Complaint on Eichmann

While strenuous efforts were being continued here today to break the Argentine-Israeli impasse on the capture of Nazi killer Adolf Eichmann and Israel’s refusal to surrender him, the entire Latin American bloc agreed today that Argentina’s complaint against Israel to the Security Council is a Justified grievance.

After a full hour’s meeting of the Latin American delegations, the consensus of opiates among the 20 delegates attending the conference was that Argentina’s complaint was value because Israel had violated its sovereignty through capturing Eichmann by “illicit and clandestine” means. However, no vote on the issue was taken.

Argentina’s delegation chairman, Dr. Mario Amadeo, told the group of his Government’s case against Israel, repeating chiefly what he had stated yesterday in filing his formal request for a Security Council session. One of the delegates who openly hoped that the Argentine-Israeli issue might be settled without resort to public debate in the Security Council was Dr. Jose A. Corea, of Ecuador.

Dr. Corea emerged today as one of the principals here in an effort to keep the Argentine-Israeli issue from exploding publicly in the Security Council. Among others, he talk to some highly influential European delegates, asking them to intervene with both Israel Argentina in such a way that the dispute between the two countries might be settled amongst and quietly.

The Security Council’s session scheduled for next Wednesday will not be canceled, it was said here late today by some of the most important members of the 11-member body. When the Council convenes on the Argentine complaint against Israel, concerning the Eichmann case, France and Britain will argue against inscribing the item on the agenda. The United States will vote for, putting the item on the agenda in line with its traditional policy of allowing debate on issues even when these concern cases against America itself.

(It was reported from Buenos Aires today that Argentina’s plans to present its case in the Security Council did not reflect a hardening of Argentina’s position but was rather part of a diplomatic effort to end the dispute with Israel by finding some face-saving formula for both countries.)

HAMMARSKJOLD SAYS ARGENTINE COMPLAINT IS A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE

United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold said at a press conference here today that “a question of principle” is involved in the grievance which Argentina brought against Israel before the Security Council. He made it clear, however, that he was not Judging either the “merits or demerits” of Argentina’s case, but speaking merely from a viewpoint of the Security Council’s competence in the issue.

Asked whether he thought the Security Council should handle the Argentine complaint since the grievance involves “a legal question, while the Security Council is a political body,” he replied:

“As this question is, or will be probably, pending in the Security Council, I cannot comment on the substance of the case but in a hypothetical sense, there is a question of principle involved. If a member state should feel that a certain rule is essential to sale guard it from danger, the Security Council can, within the limits of its authority, rule whether there is creation of tension or, more than tension, perhaps a risk involved. I do this without in any way Judging the merits or demerits of the case.

“The Security Council can be used–not as a court–but is limited in authority to decide whether rules are applicable or not, whether to accept or reject such an application.” he said. He then emphasized again that he was not pre-judging Argentina’s case or speaking on the substance of the grievance but merely discussing the general rules applicable.

Asked whether the Nuremberg Court for the trial of war criminals might he reinstated as the competent body for trying Eichmann, he replied: “The court has never been killed. But the question is too complicated for me to answer because my judicial knowledge is not competent enough for that.”