The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine today announced what may be its last effort to keep alive its “peace” talks here with the Arabs and the Israelis. Last night the Commission sent to the delegations of Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria identical letters appealing for discussion of the Commission’s five-point proposal for settling problems between Israel and the Arab states.
Both sides were asked to notify the Commission before the opening of the forthcoming U.N. General Assembly meeting here November 6 whether they are prepared to discuss the five-point program. The Commission’s letter stressed that the Commission “considers it essential that it be in a position to submit a constructive report on the Palestine situation in general and on the outcome of the present Paris meetings as soon as possible after the opening of the Assembly.”
The letter reviewed the jockeying during the seven weeks since the parley got under way over the declaration of peaceful intent contained in the preamble to the Commission’s plan and over the presentation of the plan. However, the Commission declared that it “continues to believe that a basis exists” for detailed consideration of its comprehensive pattern of proposals “within the framework of the present conference.”
The Israeli delegation has made it clear that it considers the Arab declaration of peaceful intent to be less than adequate for continuation of direct or indirect negotiations, as well as falling far short of the requirements of the U.N. Charter, Security Council decisions on Middle East problems and the armistice agreements themselves.
Assuming an imperative tone for the first time since the conference began, the Commission stated that it will make its plans in the light of the replies received” to the letter. This is understood to mean that the Commission desires a simple “yes” or “no” answer and that the three-nation body is prepared to end the parley within the next few days if the replies it receives are in the negative.
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.
