501.BB Palestine/3–1848: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the united Kingdom
niact
952. Our next top secret telegram1 contains text of draft working paper prepared by UN delegations of US, France and China with Trafford Smith of UK, technically present as an observer only, although he took an active part in discussion and drafting of the paper. This document sets forth conclusions drawn by US, France and China [Page 738] (and also, we hope, the UK) as result of Big Five consultation on situation in Palestine pursuant to SC resolution of March 5.
Please immediately call on Foreign Minister (repeated for action also to Paris as 856, Nanking as 414) and leave with him a copy of this working paper, pointing out that it is yet a draft but that its main points have support of this govt.
You should orally add that, as was made clear in Amb. Austin’s statement to SC, Feb. 24, US makes strong distinction between wide powers and obligation of SC under Charter to maintain international peace and security and its lack of any Charter authorization to use force to carry out a political recommendation or decision. We believe it should be made clear at this time that plan recommended by GA for partition of Palestine with economic union is an integral plan which cannot succeed unless each of its parts can be carried out. Palestine Commission, Mandatory Power, Jewish Agency, and Arab Higher Committee have indicated that partition plan cannot be implemented by peaceful means under present conditions. This being so, the SC is not in a position to go ahead with efforts to implement the plan. In particular, SC has no constitutional authority to enforce partition.
US believes that simultaneously with such SC action as may be necessary to bring about an effective truce in Palestine at earliest practicable moment special session of GA should immediately convene to establish a temporary trusteeship for Palestine without prejudice to eventual settlement of problem of independence for that country. We have not come to a decision as to what authority should administer this trusteeship and invite views of FonMin whether a direct UN trusteeship, or one administered by a single Power or several Powers jointly, would be preferable.
Please suggest to FonMin that if he concurs with this Govt’s position immediate instructions be telegraphed to his Govt’s representatives on SC which next meets to consider this problem Friday morning, Mar. 19.2
Repeated to USUN as 143.
- Infra.↩
- Michael R. Wright, Superintending Under-Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office informed an Embassy officer on March 19 of instructions sent to Sir Alexander Cadogan authorizing him to “inform suitable delegations that while it would not be in accord with consistent policy HMG to offer comments on details working paper, HMG has always made it clear HMG would welcome any effort to arrive at a settlement by an agreement with Arabs and Jews, and therefore HMG views with sympathy the present move towards this end.” Regarding a possible British role in drafting a trusteeship agreement, Mr. Wright stated that the British Government would “place its knowledge and experience re Palestine at disposal UN … but HMG itself would neither draft agreement nor assume responsibility for it.” (Telegram 1138, March 19, 3 p. m., from London, 501.BB Palestine/3–1948)↩