Israel’s proposal to create a U.N. authority to protect and control the Holy Places in Jerusalem will be “carefully studied” by the United States, Francis B. Sayre, American delegate to the United Nations Trusteeship Council, declared here yesterday.
In a radio broadcast, Mr. Sayre said that the Israel plan is “an interesting proposal which merits full consideration.” He added that the United States would be interested in “any further views which Jordan may express.” He said that the “really essential element in the problem of Jerusalem is to reach some solution which will win the agreement and support of the major interested parties–Israel, Jordan and the international community.”
On Friday the U.N. Trusteeship Council decided to postpone its discussion of Jerusalem until June 12. Earlier, Roger Garreau, president of the Trusteeship Council, praised the “understanding and benevolent attitude” of Israel in its relations with the Council in connection with the Jerusalem problem, and described the new Israel proposal for internationalization of Jerusalem’s Holy Places as “a considerable advance toward a settlement of the various aspects of the problem of Jerusalem.”
GARREAU CITES JORDAN FOR FAILURE OF HIS MISSION
Reporting to the Council on his mission to seek ways of implementing the Council’s statute of complete internationalization of the city, Roger Garreau of France admitted failure of his mission because he could not get the cooperation of Jordan. M. Garreau described how he had met with Israel representatives in Rome, Paris and New York and had turned down an Israel invitation to Tel Aviv because the Jordan Government had failed to reply to his demarche asking for discussions with that government as well as with Israel.
Declaring that implementation of the statute “would seem to be seriously compromised under present conditions,” Mr. Garreau told the Council members that there was still ground for hope for a workable agreement on Jerusalem so long as there exists “the understanding and benevolent attitude of one of the two governments concerned,” by which he meant Israel.
After delivering his report, the former Council president, who was succeeded in office at Council elections, presented to the delegates the memorandum of the Israel Government made public several days ago which includes the Israel proposal on the Holy Places.
(The Near East Arabic Radio monitored in Tel Aviv said today that Israel’s latest proposals on Jerusalem are “a great step forward.” The broadcast also announced that the council of the Arab League will convene in Alexandria on June 12.)
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