QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 215 S/6285, S/6287. Letters of 12 and 19 April 1965 S/6728. Letter of 29 September 1965 from Turkey. from Turkey. S/6732, S/6734. Letters of 1 October 1965 from S/6288. Letter of 7 April 1965 from Greece. Greece. S/6289, S/6351. Letters of 20 April and 12 May S/6758. Letter of 7 October 1965 from Turkey. 1965 from Turkey. S/6783, S/6787. Letters of 13 and 12 October 1965 S/6362, S/6385, S/6403, S/6405, S/6410, S/6425, from Greece. S/6441, S/6470, S/6506. Letters of 15 and 27 S/6809. Letter of 18 October 1965 from Turkey. May, 1, 2, 8, 12 and 21 June, and 6 July 1965 from S/6820, S/6830. Letters of 18 and 25 October 1965 Greece. from Greece. S/6526, S/6527 and Corr.1. Letters of 14 July 1965 S/6831, S/6837. Letters of 25 and 27 October 1965 from Turkey. from Turkey. S/6538. Letter of 15 July 1965 from Greece. S/6853, S/6872. Letters of 30 October and 4 No- S/6550, S/6551. Letters of 22 July 1965 from vember 1965 from Greece. Turkey. S/6914, S/7065. Letters of 11 November 1965 and S/6618, S/6619, S/6623, S/6679, S/6684, S/6718, 3 January 1966 from Turkey. S/6721, S/6723, S/6729. Letters of 16 and 19 A/6002. Report of Security Council to General As- August, 11, 14, 24, 25, 27 and 29 September 1965 sembly, Chapter 4 C. from Greece.

CHAPTER XIV QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST

THE PALESTINE QUESTION No aspects of the Palestine question were In connexion with the Israel complaint of brought before the Security Council for its con- 1 March, stated on 8 March that in- sideration during 1965. However, the parties to vestigations carried out by ob- the General Armistice Agreements informed the servers had produced no evidence that there Council from time to time of incidents which had been any infiltrators entering Israel from they considered to be important violations of Jordan territory. the Armistice Agreements. On 1 March, Jordan maintained that prepa- rations by Israel authorities to review a mili- COMMUNICATIONS FROM tary parade in the city of and to ISRAEL AND JORDAN show their military equipment and heavy arms On 26 January 1965, in a letter to the Sec- was in violation of the Armistice Agreement retary-General, Jordan said that Israel authori- and of the Security Council resolution of 11 ties had committed provocative military acts April 1961.1 in the Mount Scopus area in Jerusalem. In view In a further communication dated 15 March, of the dangerous and explosive situation aris- Jordan said that an Israel "Independence Day" ing from the Israel violations, Jordan requested military parade in Jerusalem would be con- that immediate inspection of Israel positions in trary to the verbal assurance which Jordan the area should be carried out through a special had received from Ralph J. Bunche, to the representative of the Secretary-General. effect that the parade would be held at Tel On 1 March, Israel alleged that a recent Aviv. However, it now seemed that the Israel series of acts of sabotage or attempted sabotage authorities were planning to hold a "symbolic in Israel territory had been perpetrated by per- military parade" in Jerusalem, as well as in sons crossing the Armistice Demarcation Line Tel Aviv. Should this take place, Jordan held, from Jordan. It was held that, under the then Israel would definitely be exposing the Armistice Agreement, the Government of Jor- situation in the Holy City to grave repercus- dan must accept full responsibility for those sions. acts. 1 See Y.U.N., 1961, p. 155. 216 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS On 15 March, referring to the mission of Agreement and condemning Jordan for it. On the Secretary-General's representative, Jordan 7 July, Jordan charged that the Israel letter stated that in spite of the good efforts of the had misrepresented the decision of the Mixed Secretary-General, Israel authorities had re- Armistice Commission, which had confirmed sumed their acts of aggression in the Latrun that the shooting had been started by Israel area in violation of the Jordan-Israel Armi- military forces. stice Agreement and had refused to comply On 4 June, Israel informed the Council of with the decisions of the Mixed Armistice Com- two incidents on 1 June, the first by saboteurs mission (MAC) in this respect. from across the Lebanese border and the other On 27 May, Israel drew attention to renewed by infiltrators from across the Jordan border. acts of violence and sabotage committed by In reply, Jordan denied the Israel allegation armed groups penetrating into Israel from and stated that it had complained to the Mixed Jordanian territory and asserted that, although Armistice Commission, which had found that its allegations of acts of sabotage on 2 and 4 Israel had fired shots on the walls of Jerusalem March had been confirmed by the Chairman and on Jordan army posts. (For 's of the Mixed Armistice Commission in a state- reply, see below.) ment of 16 March, such incidents had not On 1 November, Jordan complained that a ceased. fully-equipped detachment of the Israel regu- On 28 May, Jordan complained that on 27 lar army had escorted 24 tractors into no-man's May Israel army units had attacked houses, a land in the Latrun sector on 30 October. The factory and fuel stations in Jordan, leaving four United Nations authorities had requested an civilians killed and seven wounded. Although immediate withdrawal of the Israel forces from Israel had sought to blame Jordan for having the area, but instead reinforcements had been provoked that aggression, Jordan denied most called in. emphatically any knowledge of or responsibility In reply, Israel on 2 November said that the for the occurrence of alleged acts of sabotage Jordanian account of recent border incidents inside Israel-held territory. On 16 June, Jordan in the Latrun area did not reflect the true facts. informed the Security Council that the Mixed Ever since the Armistice Agreement of 1949, Armistice Commission had found, in connexion farmers from the neighbouring villages on both with this incident, that the Israel forces had sides had been cultivating fields situated within crossed the Armistice Demarcation Line into no-man's land in the Latrun area. Israel stated Jordan and that the raid had resulted in the further that these incidents were being dealt death of two men and three children and the with through the Armistice machinery. wounding of two adults and three children. In another communication, dated 28 May, COMMUNICATIONS FROM Jordan informed the Council that orders had ISRAEL AND LEBANON been issued to the Jordanian armed forces to re- On 15 June, Lebanon, in reply to the Israel pel with the "utmost severity and determination" letter of 4 June (see above), said that no evi- any new Israel act of aggression. dence had been found to substantiate .the alle- On 1 June, Israel said that on 31 May Jor- gations that saboteurs had crossed the Lebanese danian army posts had opened fire from the border into Israel and that this had been con- Old City of Jerusalem across the Armistice firmed by investigations carried out by the Demarcation Line into Israel territory, killing United Nations Truce Supervision Organiza- two civilians and wounding four. There had tion (UNTSO). been no firing from the Israel side. In the same On 11 November, Lebanon asserted that, connexion, Israel informed the Council on during the night of 28-29 October, Israel armed 1 July that on 28 June the Mixed Armistice forces in uniform had penetrated into Leba- Commission had justly upheld the Israel com- nese territory and carried out acts of sabotage plaint by deciding that the shooting had been in two different places; this had been confirmed a gross violation of the General Armistice by United Nations observers. These acts of ag- QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 217 gression, Lebanon stated, constituted a serious On 30 September, Syria transmitted to the and specific violation of the Armistice Agree- Secretary-General a memorandum from the ment and were creating a dangerous threat to Palestine Liberation Organization relating to a peace in the region. mob attack against the Arab population in In reply, Israel said on 19 November that its Ramleh, alleged to have taken place on 22 Au- action on the night of 28-29 October had been gust 1965. preceded by three acts of sabotage perpetrated In reply, Israel said on 13 October that in against Israel border villages on 2 June, 26-27 publicly condemning the outbreak the Prime August and 27 October. Israel's action had been Minister of Israel had affirmed that all citi- taken to impress upon all concerned the ex- zens were assured of equal rights and protec- treme gravity with which its Government tion under the laws of Israel, and that this viewed the continuation of these sabotage ac- would be rigidly enforced by the authorities. tivities, and the imperative need to put a stop to them. REPORT OF CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE COMMUNICATIONS FROM In its twenty-third progress report covering ISRAEL AND SYRIA the period from 1 May 1964 to 23 December On 17 March, Israel drew the attention of 1965, the United Nations Conciliation Com- the Security Council to what it described as mission for Palestine stated that it could make the tense and dangerous situation which had no progress in finding a practical means, ac- developed during the previous two weeks on ceptable to the parties concerned, for assisting the Israel-Syrian border, in the vicinity of the in achieving a final settlement of the questions village of Almagor. Israel asserted that Syrian outstanding between them, nor could it report authorities had resumed the practice of open- progress in its effort to assist in finding a means ing fire upon peaceful Israel civilian activities for implementing paragraph 11 of General As- in the border area. It reminded the Council sembly resolution 194(111) of 11 December that, in connexion with similar incidents, Syria 1948. The Commission, it will be remembered, had complained that Israel was cultivating had been instructed by the Assembly to facili- Arab-owned land in the demilitarized zone, but tate the repatriation, resettlement and economic that contention had been rejected as far back and social rehabilitation of the refugees and as 1957 as a result of a United Nations inves- payment of compensation.2 tigation on the spot. The Commission noted that it continued to In reply, Syria on 19 March drew attention be deeply concerned about the intractable na- to the increasing aggressive activities of Israel ture of the differences between the parties con- along the whole Armistice Demarcation Line cerned and in particular with the plight of the in general, and the demilitarized zone in par- refugees. It assured Member States that it ticular. In a subsequent communication dated would endeavour to intensify its efforts in ac- 25 May, Syria complained of a further series cordance with the wishes of the General As- of aggressive acts committed by Israel on the sembly as expressed in resolution 2052 (XX) of Syrian borders and on the Armistice Demarca- 15 December 1965. (See below, p. 224.) tion Line. In connexion with its technical activities, the On 28 May, Syria said that as a result of Commission reported that some accomplish- the investigation of an incident of 13 May, the ments had been made in related areas, such Chairman of the Israel-Syrian Mixed Armis- tice Commission (ISMAC) had stated that 2 Paragraph 11 of resolution 194(111) provided, there had been no evidence of any Syrian fire among other things, that "the refugees wishing to and that the target of Israel fire had been return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest equipment and civilians well inside Syrian ter- practicable date, and that compensation should be ritory. Concerning the incident of 22 May, a paid for the property of those choosing not to return complaint had been lodged with ISMAC. and for loss of or damage to property. . . ." 218 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS as the release of Arab refugee bank accounts ual inquiries, the Commission had been able to blocked in Israel, the transfer of safe deposit correlate completely its records with the state- and safe custody items, and the Commission's ments of individuals concerning their property programme for the identification and valuation holdings, a fact which encouraged it to hope of Arab refugee immovable property holdings that its files of identification in general cor- in Israel. In addition, in dealing with individ- rectly recorded individual property holdings.

DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES ISRAEL-JORDAN COMMUNICATIONS ISRAEL-LEBANON COMMUNICATIONS S/6163, S/6209. Letters of 26 January and 1 March S/6444. Letter of 15 June 1965 from Lebanon. 1965 from Jordan. S/6898. Letter of 11 November 1965 from Lebanon. S/6208. Letter of 1 March 1965 from Israel. S/6956. Letter of 19 November 1965 from Israel. S/6220 and Corr.1, S/6232, S/6235. Letters of 8 and 15 March 1965 from Jordan. ISRAEL-SYRIA COMMUNICATIONS S/6387. Letter of 27 May 1965 from Israel. S/6243. Letter of 17 March from Israel. S/6390, S/6391. Letters of 28 May 1965 from S/6248, S/6382, S/6392, S/6731. Letters of 19 Jordan. March, 25 and 28 May and 30 Sepitember 1965 S/6397 and Corr.1, S/6414. Letters of 1 and 4 from Syria. June 1965 from Israel. S/6780. Letter of 13 October 1965 from Israel. S/6415, S/6446. Letters of 4 and 16 June 1965 from A/6002. Report of Security Council to General As- Jordan. sembly, Chapter 5 D. S/6492. Letter of 1 July 1965 from Israel. S/6508, S/6852, S/6854. Letters of 7 July and 1 REPORT OF PALESTINE November 1965 from Jordan. CONCILIATION COMMISSION S/6866. Letter of 2 November 1965 from Israel. A/6225. Twenty-third report of United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine (for period 1 May 1964-23 December 1965).

UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCY FORCE A report on the organization and function- of further reductions in the strength of certain ing of the United Nations Emergency Force contingents of the Force, it was reported. The (UNEF) in the Middle East was prepared in total strength of UNEF, as at 31 July 1965, 1965 by the Secretary-General for the twen- was 4,582, national contingents being supplied tieth session of the General Assembly. by Brazil, Canada, Denmark, India, Norway, The report covered developments from 1 Au- Sweden and Yugoslavia. gust 1964 to 31 July 1965. Noting that UNEF Cost estimates for the maintenance of UNEF had continued to serve as a stabilizing influ- were also submitted to the General Assembly ence in maintaining peace in the Gaza/Sinai by the Secretary-General (see pp. 684-89 be- area, the report described UNEF's function of low). guarding and patrolling along the Armistice On 21 December 1965, the Assembly, with- Demarcation Line in the Gaza Strip and the out adopting a formal resolution, took note of International Frontier in the Sinai Peninsula. the Secretary-General's report to its twentieth The total number of violations of the Armis- session, as well as the report he had submitted tice Demarcation Line and the International in 1964 to its nineteenth session. Because of the Frontier had shown a slight increase from the special circumstances prevailing at the nine- previous year, and some incidents had been teenth session, the Assembly had not been able relatively more serious, it added. Air viola- to consider the 1964 report. The Assembly also, tions had continued to cause concern, both be- in adopting resolution 2115 (XX) of 21 De- cause of their increasing frequency and their cember 1965, approved appropriations for the deeper penetration. maintenance of the Force (see pp. 688-89 be- There was no significant change in the gen- low for text of resolution). eral operational functions of UNEF in spite QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 219

DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES

GENERAL ASSEMBLY——20TH SESSION gency Force. Reports of Secretary-General to 19th Plenary Meeting 1407. and 20th Assembly sessions. (See also pp. 685-86.) A/5736 and Corr.1, A/5919. United Nations Emer-

ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINE REFUGEES During 1965, the United Nations Relief and Health. There were no major epidemics Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the among the refugees during 1965, and health Near East (UNRWA) continued to provide records remained satisfactory. Health care was assistance to the more than 1,300,000 Arab provided in 123 locations through clinics or refugees registered with the Agency in Jordan, mobile health teams operated or subsidized by Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic and the UNRWA; 1,850 hospital beds were maintained Gaza Strip. This assistance comprised relief or subsidized. and health services, as well as education and Education. At the beginning of the 1965-66 vocational training. academic year, 181,347 refugee children were enrolled in the 430 schools operated jointly by ACTIVITIES IN 1965 UNRWA and the United Nations Educa- In a report prepared for the twentieth tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization (1965) session of the General Assembly, the (UNESCO). A further 60,250 attended Gov- Commissioner-General of UNRWA described ernment or private schools, most of them with the financial and other problems faced by the grants-in-aid from UNRWA. Some 610 out- Agency and made certain proposals concerning standing refugee students were granted univer- rectification of relief rolls and future opera- sity scholarships by UNRWA. The UNRWA- tions (see below). The report also gave an UNESCO Institute of Education expanded its account of Agency operations during the year, programme of in-service training for UNRWA as follows: teachers; more than 1,500 were enrolled in the Registration. During 1965, the number of Institute's course at the end of 1965. refugees registered with UNRWA rose by Vocational Training. UNRWA continued to 37,468, bringing the total, as at 31 December offer training to young refugees in its own 1965, to 1,300,117. There were 697,658 refu- training centres and through grants to other gees registered in Jordan, 301,879 in the Gaza institutions. The training programme has a Strip, 162,499 in Lebanon and 138,081 in total capacity of some 3,500 trainees. More Syria. than 1,450 young men and women received Food. UNRWA distributed basic dry rations diplomas in 1965. Increased emphasis was laid to some 67 per cent of the registered refugees, on further training abroad for the graduates, or 873,123 persons as at 31 December 1965. and some 165 went to Europe for a year of This was a reduction of 3,175 persons during training and on-the-job experience. the year. These rations provided each refugee Welfare Services. The welfare programme with an average of 1,500 calories per day in included a number of activities in the field of summer and 1,600 in winter. Supplementary community development, including the opera- feeding and milk distribution programmes fur- tion of youth activities centres, adult crafts nished extra nourishment for children, preg- training courses, and a women's activities pro- nant and nursing women, tuberculosis patients gramme. UNRWA also continued to give assist- and others vulnerable to malnutrition. ance to individual cases of extreme hardship Shelter. Approximately 39 per cent (508,042) and to some handicapped refugees. Used cloth- of the refugees were registered in UNRWA's ing, collected by voluntary agencies and shipped 54 refugee camps. The others had found ac- to the Middle East at UNRWA's expense, was commodation, often no better than that in the distributed to refugees in need. camps, in cities, towns and villages. 220 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS CONSIDERATION BY tion for an expanding school population and GENERAL ASSEMBLY of a decrease in income from governmental In the special circumstances prevailing dur- sources. The imbalance could not continue, he ing the nineteenth (1964) session, it will be stressed, since it would rapidly result in insol- recalled, the General Assembly did not discuss vency and perhaps in the collapse of the whole the annual report of the Commissioner-General structure of the Agency's services, with disas- of UNRWA for the year 1963-64. It did, how- trous consequences for the refugees and serious ever, extend the mandate of the Agency, due social and political repercussions in the host to expire on 30 June 1965, for another year.3 countries. At the twentieth session, the Assembly con- The Commissioner-General said that the issue sidered the Agency's 1964 and 1965 reports, could not be, met on the administrative level referring them to its Special .Political Commit- and he urged the General Assembly to seek all tee, which devoted 27 meetings to discussions possible means of providing the Agency with of the issues raised therein. additional funds to enable the continuance of the present services. If adequate funds could REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER-GENERAL not be provided, the Commissioner-General In his 1965 report to the Assembly, the asked the General Assembly to direct him as to Commissioner-General of UNRWA reiterated how to deal with the situation which would re- the theme of his previous report—that the in- sult. ternational community was confronted with a As to rectification of the ration rolls, the long-term problem of providing for the needs Commissioner-General said the problem was of the Palestine refugees, and that, without a not primarily a matter of budgetary savings but political solution as envisaged in the General one of equity among the refugees and of the Assembly's resolution (194(III)) on 11 De- integrity of the Agency in discharging the man- cember 1948,4 the plight of the refugees was date given to it by the General Assembly. A likely to continue for a period to which a time number of proposals had been made to the limit could not be fixed at present. He added host Governments, but agreement on imple- that the feelings of the refugees, which had mentation had not been reached. The Com- been described in previous reports, remained missioner-General pointed out that the pro- unchanged. From their standpoint, a nation posed criteria of eligibility would limit an ex- had been obliterated and a population arbi- tension of eligibility, subject to need, to the trarily deprived of its birthright. The refugees third generation of refugees (that is, to chil- considered the United Nations responsible for dren of persons who were themselves born after their lot and for extending assistance to them 14 May 1948), and that this proposal implied until a solution could be found to their prob- an undertaking by the Commissioner-General lem. Their emotions, if anything, had increased to do all in his power to bring home to the in- with the additional focus provided for their ternational community the urgent needs of a feelings by the Palestine Liberation Organiza- further group of claimants for relief comprising tion, which came into being in June 1964. The frontier villagers who had lost their income but Commissioner-General believed that the refu- not their homes, some tribes, and cer- gee problem had not grown any less complex tain other categories of persons. The Commis- or less dangerous to the peace and stability of sioner-General felt that, subject to the avail- the region. ability of funds to continue services at the He went on to say that the financial stress present levels, which would meet a condition under which the Agency operated had in- expressed by the host Governments, and subject creased sharply, resulting in deficits which to any directions which the General Assembly had grown from $0.5 million in 1963 to an might give him, he ought to take the oppor- estimated $2.5 million in 1965 and $4.2 million in 1966. This growing imbalance was largely 3 See Y.U.N., 1964, pp. 179-80. the result of increased expenditure on educa- 4 See Y.U.N., 1948-49, p. 175. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 221 tunity afforded through these proposals to ists and Zionists and by the United Nations. rectify the ration rolls. Although the Organization had the support of In conclusion, the Commissioner-General the Arab Governments, it had not been estab- urged that any extension of the Agency's man- lished by them but was a unanimous mani- date should be for a reasonably long period, festation of the vitality and the spirit of the such as five years, and recommended that the people of Palestine themselves in dealing with Assembly seek all possible means of providing their problem. the Agency with additional funds. He particu- On 27 October the Committee, without larly sought the Assembly's advice on the fol- adopting a resolution, decided to approve a pro- lowing points: (a) Did the General Assembly posal made by Honduras, whereby it acceded wish the Agency to continue the present strictly to the request of "The Palestine Arab Delega- limited programme of assistance to Palestine tion" to be heard by the Committee during the Arab refugees at existing standards and levels? discussion of the item. (b) Were Governments prepared to furnish the The representatives of "The Palestine Arab necessary funds to carry out this programme? Delegation" stated that the land and property and (c) If the Assembly believed that it might occupied by Israel belonged legally to the refu- not be possible to secure sufficient funds for gees. It was the duty of the United Nations to this purpose, what general guidelines would it place such property under a United Nations propose that the Commissioner-General should Custodian pending the solution of the Palestine follow to prevent the insolvency and collapse problem, and to pay the income thereof to the of the Agency? lawful owners. The real issue before the Com- mittee was the Palestine question, of which the GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE refugee problem was no more than an offshoot In a letter dated 15 October 1965, the re- and could not be solved independently. The presentatives of Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Ku- cause of the Palestine Arabs rested on the doc- wait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, trine of non-recognition. Under the principles Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, the of international law the United Nations and its United Arab Republic and Yemen requested Member States should not recognize the Zion- the Special Political Committee to grant a hear- ist regime, which was the fruit of aggression ing to a delegation of the "Palestine Liberation and conquest. Organization" (PLO). On 20 October, the The Committee also received a memorandum Committee adopted a draft resolution, pro- from the four UNRWA host Governments— posed by Costa Rica and El Salvador, whereby Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the United Arab it decided to authorize the persons constituting Republic—containing their observations on the the delegation of the "Palestine Liberation Commissioner-General's 1965 report. It stressed Organization" to speak in the Committee and their view that the relief of Palestine refugees to make such statements as they deemed nec- was an obligation devolving on the United essary, without such authorization implying Nations and that any move to relieve the recognition of the PLO. United Nations of these responsibilities could The representative of the "Palestine Libera- not be condoned. The services provided by tion Organization" stated that the Arab people UNRWA, they maintained, had reached an of Palestine wanted to exercise their inalienable irreducible minimum; any curtailment of them rights, including the right to live in freedom would not only result in grave harm to the in their homes, and the right offered them in 5 General Assembly resolution 194(III), para- Paragraph 11 of resolution 194(III) provided, graph 11.5 The establishment of the "Palestine among other things, that "the refugees wishing to Liberation Organization" was an expression return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest of the Palestinian Arabs' determination to con- practicable date, and that compensation should be paid tinue the struggle for those rights, which had for the property of those choosing not to return and been taken away from them by British colonial- for loss of or damage to property. . . ." 222 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS refugees but would threaten the peace and problem by paying compensation for Arab stability of the Near East. properties confiscated in areas of Mandated During the debate, the representatives of Palestine which remained under Arab rule, or Syria and Iraq, in particular, emphasized that properties in other Arab lands from which the uprooting and dispersal of the refugees Jewish refugees had come to Israel. placed a unique responsibility on the United On the subject of assistance to the third Nations to undo a wrong committed in its generation of refugees, Israel felt that each name. The Palestine problem, they said, had country must assume the responsibility of tak- not been settled, either legally or morally, in ing care of children born on its soil, with the 1948. Israel as now constituted represented a help, if necessary, of the United Nations. With flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions. regard to the Palestine Liberation Organiza- In treating the whole question as though it tion, the names of the refugees in its army were a conflict between Israel and the Arab should be struck from UNRWA's rolls; the States, Israel hoped to obliterate the entity of Palestine Liberation Organization was com- Palestine. The General Assembly should place mitted to renewed military struggle and thus the responsibility for the expulsion of the refu- confronted the Agency with the paradox of gees on Israel and should take action to secure United Nations funds being used to provide ra- full implementation of paragraph 11 of reso- tions for refugees recruited for armed action lution 194(III). against a Member State. Israel, however, sup- By resolution 273(III) of 11 May 1949,6 un- ported the extension of the Mandate of der which Israel was admitted to membership UNRWA and was in full agreement with the in the United Nations, these spokesmen ar- imperative need to rectify the relief rolls. gued, the General Assembly had established a The representative of Togo said that the final direct connexion between the admission of solution to the problem might be accomplished Israel and the implementation of resolution in a number of stages: the refugees should 194(III). Algeria asserted that unless steps give an assurance that they intended, after were taken to right the wrong which had been their return home, to integrate themselves in done, Algeria and all peace-loving forces would the economic life of Israel; the Arab States be on the side of the Palestinian Arabs if they should recognize the sovereign State of Israel; decided to exercise their rights to recover their efforts should be made to reduce tension be- homeland by whatever means might prove tween the opposing parties; and negotiations necessary. It was proposed by that should be arranged to study ways of implement- pending the return of the refugees to their ing the relevant General Assembly resolutions. homeland, the United Nations should appoint Cyprus suggested that one step towards solv- a custodian to ensure that the proceeds of their ing the financial difficulties of UNRWA could properties in Palestine would be returned to the be to pay the refugees the income derived from rightful owners. their property on the basis of the actual in- The representative of Israel stated that come currently receivable from t:he property or though the underlying political issues could only on a percentage basis of its capital. be solved by a negotiated agreement between The representative of the United States said the Arab Governments and the Government that there could be no question of abandoning of Israel, the economic absorption of the refu- the refugees or liquidating the organization for gees would solve the humanitarian problem refugee relief. He called on all members of the with which UNRWA was concerned. His Gov- United Nations to face up to their humani- ernment entirely rejected the proposal to ap- tarian responsibilities: UNRWA's financial point a custodian of Arab refugee property in plight should be eased through common effort. Israel, on the grounds that such a proposal was With regard to third-generation refugees, the incompatible with the sovereignty and laws of United States felt that the Agency's first task

any Member State. Israel was ready to par- 6 ticipate in an over-all solution of the refugee See Y.U.N.. 1948-49, p. 405, for text of resolution. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 223 was to take care of the refugees already on its progress had been made in the programme for rolls or now eligible for inscription. As a prac- reintegrating the refugees and that their situa- tical matter, it was unrealistic to advocate the tion, therefore, continued to be a matter of inclusion of third-generation refugees when the serious concern. The Assembly would also di- Agency had been obliged to place a ceiling on rect attention to the critical financial position the number of second-generation children re- of the Agency; note with regret that contribu- ceiving rations. The United States believed that tions to the Agency thus far had not been UNRWA should ensure that no rations were sufficient to enable it to cover its essential issued to refugees receiving military training budget requirements; call upon all Govern- under the auspices of the Palestine Liberation ments as a matter of urgency to make the most Organization; it was inadmissible for a United generous effort possible to meet the antici- Nations agency to support an organization ap- pated needs of the Agency; direct the Com- parently dedicated to the destruction of a missioner-General to take such measures, in- Member State. cluding rectification of the relief rolls, as to The representative of the USSR said that the assure the most equitable distribution of relief situation of the Palestine refugees was not to based on need and would invite the full co-op- be regarded merely as a violation of the fun- eration of the Governments concerned; call upon damental principles of law and justice but as the United Nations Conciliation Commission a source of grave international tension. The to continue its efforts for the implementation United Nations had taken a firm stand, par- of paragraph 11 of resolution 194(III); and ticularly in paragraph 11 of General Assem- decide to extend the mandate of the Agency bly resolution 194(III), and year after year until 30 June 1969. since then it had adopted resolutions reaffirm- By the second draft resolution, submitted by ing the right of the Palestine refugees to re- Afghanistan and Malaysia, the General As- turn to their homeland and to receive compen- sembly would: request the Secretary-General sation. But during those 17 years the Assem- to take all appropriate steps to have a Cus- bly's decisions had been sabotaged. The prob- todian appointed to protect and administer lem of the Arab refugees, he stressed, was the Arab property, assets and property rights in result of imperialist policy in the Near East. Israel and to receive income derived therefrom, Israel, continuing to flout the Assembly's reso- and request the Custodian to report to the lutions and to disregard its obligations under Assembly at its twenty-first session on the fulfil- the Charter, was not acting in isolation but was ment of his tasks. supported by other States seeking to use the Before the Committee voted on the two draft problem of the Palestine refugees to exert pres- resolutions, Pakistan and Somalia submitted sure on the countries of the area and to main- amendments to the United States draft resolu- tain a source of international tension in those tion. These amendments proposed the inser- countries. tion of four preambular paragraphs whereby Virtually all Members of the Committee the General Assembly would: express the con- praised the work done by UNRWA and its viction that no just solution of the refugee prob- Commissioner-General. There was also wide lem could be achieved without full respect for agreement that all countries should increase their rights; consider that necessary action their voluntary contributions to UNRWA. should be taken to ensure the full restoration of those rights; express deep concern with the ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION situation of the refugees and note the Com- Two draft resolutions were submitted to the missioner-General's statement that the longing Special Political Committee. By the first of of the refugees to return to their homes re- these, introduced by the United States, the mained unabated. In their operative part, the General Assembly would note'with deep regret amendments would, among other things, de- that repatriation or compensation of the refu- plore Israel's continued refusal to implement gees had not been effected, that no substantial paragraph 11 of resolution 194(III) and urge 224 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS it not to obstruct any further such implementa- graphs of that resolution originally contained tion; and call for the distribution of relief in the Pakistan-Somalia amendments, as well based on need in accordance with the proposals as the proviso that the distribution of relief contained in the report of the Commissioner- would be in accordance with the proposals con- General. tained in the report of the Commissioner- Israel also submitted amendments to the General. United States draft resolution by which the The Nigerian draft resolution was adopted General Assembly would recall that in para- on 15 December by a roll-call vote of 91 in graph 5 of resolution 194(III) it had called favour to 1 opposed, with 7 abstentions, as upon the Governments concerned to seek agree- resolution 2052 (XX). The Assembly further ment by negotiations with a view to the final decided it would take no action on the draft settlement of all questions outstanding between text recommended by the Special Political them, and that in paragraph 3 of resolution Committee. 512(VI)7 it had considered that the Govern- By the terms of resolution 2052 (XX), the ments concerned had the primary responsibility Assembly: noted with deep regret that repatria- for settling such differences. The Israel amend- tion or compensation of the refugees as pro- ments also provided for the insertion of two vided for in paragraph 11 of resolution new operative paragraphs, whereby the Assem- 194(111) had not been effected, that no sub- bly would deplore the continued refusal of stantial progress had been made in the pro- Arab Governments concerned to enter into gramme for the reintegration of refugees either negotiations for an agreed solution and would by repatriation or resettlement and that their appeal to Governments concerned to undertake situation continued to be a matter of serious direct negotiations, with a view to their find- concern; expressed its appreciation for the work ing an agreed solution for the refugee problem. of UNRWA; directed attention to the Agency's Prior to the vote in the Committee, the critical financial condition; noted with regret representative of Israel said that his delegation that contributions to the Agency had not been had given consideration to the appeals which sufficient to cover its essential budget require- other members had made for the withdrawal ments; urgently called upon Governments to of both Israel's amendments and the Pakistan- contribute generously; directed the Commis- Somalia amendments, and it had accordingly sioner-General to take such measiares, including decided not to press its own amendments to rectification of the relief rolls to assure, in co- a vote. operation with Governments concerned, the The Pakistan-Somalia amendments were most equitable distribution of relief based on adopted by the Committee by a roll-call vote need; called upon the United Nations Concilia- of 43 to 39, with 23 abstentions. tion Commission for Palestine to intensify its On 17 November, the Committee adopted efforts for the implementation of paragraph 11 the United States draft resolution, as amended, of resolution 194(III) and to report thereon by a roll-call vote of 47 to 31, with 17 absten- not later than 1 October 1966; and extended tions. the mandate of the Agency until 30 June 1969. On the same day, the Afghanistan-Malaysia (For full text of resolution, see DOCUMENTARY draft resolution was rejected by a roll-call REFERENCES below.) vote of 38 to 34, with 23 abstentions. In a plenary meeting on 15 December 1965, PLEDGES AND PAYMENTS FOR 1965 the representative of Nigeria introduced a draft During the financial (calendar) year 1965, resolution, which he described as representing 45 countries and territories pledged the equiva- the broadest possible basis of agreement, and lent of $34,057,574 for UNRWA's activities. asked that priority in voting be given to his By 31 December 1965, the equivalent of $33,- draft. 551,081 had been received in payment of these The Nigerian draft, which was based on the pledges. 7 resolution adopted by the Special Political See Y.U.N., 1951, p. 309, for text of resolution Committee, omitted the four preambular para- 512(VI). QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 225 PLEDGES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNRWA Pledging Contributions FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 1965 Government Pledge Received (Showing equivalent in U.S. dollars of pledges Luxembourg 3,000 3,000 and contributions in cash, kind and services) Malawi 140 140 Malaysia 1,500 1,500 Pledging Contributions Monaco 204 204 Government Pledge Received Morocco 19,763 19,763 Australia 201,600 201,600 Netherlands 174,354 160,731 Austria 10,000 10,000 New Zealand 140,000 140,000 Belgium 30,000 30,000 Nigeria 5,000 — Canada 1,111,111 1,111,111 Norway 70,000 70,000 Ceylon 1,000 1,000 Pakistan 20,964 20,964 Cyprus 280 280 Philippines 1,250 1,250 Denmark 114,733 78,533 Saudi Arabia 297,778 297,778 Finland 11,352 11,352 Sweden 470,777 467,115 France 234,870 234,870 Switzerland 270,092 270,092 Gaza Authorities 155,303 155,303 Syria 90,262 90,262 Germany, Federal Tunisia 4,000 4,000 Republic of 503,145 503,145 Turkey 8,000 — Ghana 3,000 — United Arab Republic 246,712 246,712 Greece 15,000 15,000 United Kingdom 5,400,000 5,400,000 1,000 1,000 United States* 23,800,000 23,800,000 India 21,008 — Yugoslavia 20,000 20,000 Iran 6,000 — Ireland 25,000 25,000 Total 34,057,574 33,551,081 Italy 160,000 — Jamaica 560 560 * Pledge payable on a matching basis, not to ex- Japan 30,000 — ceed 70 per cent of contributions paid by all other Jordan 105,320 105,320 Governments. The pledge for 1965 comprises half of Kuwait 220,000 — the pledge for the fiscal year 1964-65 ($24,700,000) Lebanon 33,496 33,496 and half of the pledge for the fiscal year 1965-66 Libya 20,000 20,000 ($22,900,000).

DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES

GENERAL ASSEMBLY——20TH SESSION dor: draft resolution and revision, adopted unani- Special Political Committee, meetings 432-437, 439- mously by Special Political Committee on 20 Oc- 459. tober 1965, meeting 435. Ad Hoc Committee of General Assembly for An- A/SPC/L.113. United States: draft resolution, as nouncement of Voluntary Contributions, meeting 2. amended by Pakistan and Somalia, adopted by Plenary Meeting 1395. Special Political Committee on 17 November 1965, meeting 459, by roll-call vote of 47 to 31, with 17 A/5813, A/6013 and Corr.1. Reports of Commis- abstentions as follows: sioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Bul- Agency for Palestine Refugees in Near East garia, Byelorussian SSR, Cuba, Cyprus, Czecho- (UNRWA) for periods 1 July 1963-30 June 1964 slovakia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hun- and 1 July 1964-30 June 1965. gary, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, A/SPC/103. Statement by Commissioner-General of Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, UNRWA on 11 October 1965, meeting 432. Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, A/SPC/104. Letter of 15 October 1965 from Al- Philippines, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Soma- geria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, lia, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukrainian SSR, USSR, United Arab Republic, United Arab Republic and Yemen requesting hear- United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen, Yugoslavia. ing for delegation of Palestine Liberation Organiza- Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Can- tion. ada, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, A/SPC/105. Letter of 18 October from Chairman Dahomey, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Sal- of "Palestine Arab Delegation" requesting hearing. vador, Finland, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, Israel, A/SPC/106. Observations of Governments of Jor- Ivory Coast, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, dan, Lebanon, Syria and United Arab Republic on Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Pan- report of Commissioner-General of UNRWA (A/ ama, Peru, Rwanda, Sweden, United Kingdom, 6013). United States, Upper Volta. A/SPC/L.112 and Rev.l. Costa Rica and El Salva- Abstaining: Burma, Burundi, Cameroon, Ceylon, 226 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS Chile, China, Costa Rica, France, Japan, Mexico, Abstaining: Burma, Burundi, Laos, Madagascar, Nigeria, Paraguay, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Portugal, Sierra Leone, South Africa. Venezuela, Zambia. The representatives of Kuwait and Colombia subse- A/SPC/L.114. Pakistan and Somalia: amendments quently informed the Secretariat that, if they had to United States resolution, A/SPC/L.113. been present during the vote, they would have A/SPC/L.115. Israel: amendments to United voted in favour of the draft resolution. States draft resolution, A/SPC/L.113. A/SPC/L.1I6. Afghanistan and Malaysia: draft "The General Assembly, resolution, rejected by Special Political Committee "Recalling its resolutions 194(III) of 11 Decem- on 17 November 1965, meeting 459, by roll-call ber 1948, 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, 393(V) and vote of 34 to 38, with 23 abstentions as follows: 394(V) of 2 and 14 December 1950, 512(VI) and In favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bulgaria, Byelorus- 513(VI) of 26 January 1952, 614(VII) of 6 No- sian SSR, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Guinea, vember 1952, 720(VIII) of 27 November 1953, 818 Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Leb- (IX) of 4 December 1954, 916(X) of 3 December anon, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia, 1955, 1018(XI) of 28 February 1957, 1191 (XII) of Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Ara- 12 December 1957, 1315(XIII) of 12 December bia, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukrain- 1958, 1456(XIV) of 9 December 1959, 1604(XV) ian SSR, USSR, United Arab Republic, Yemen, of 21 April 1961, 1725(XVI) of 20 December 1961, Yugoslavia. 1856(XVII) of 20 December 1962, 1912(XVIII) of Against: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, 3 December 1963 and 2002! XIX) of 10 February Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic, 1965, Chad, Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, "Noting the annual reports of the Commissioner- Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fin- General of the United Nations Relief and Works land, France, Gabon, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Liberia, covering the periods from 1 July 1963 to 30 June Luxembourg, Madagascar, Netherlands, New Zea- 1964 and from 1 July 1964 to 30 June 1965, land, Niger, Norway, Paraguay, Sweden, United "1. Notes with deep regret that repatriation or Kingdom, United States, Upper Volta, Uruguay. compensation of the refugees as provided for in para- Abstaining: Burma, Cameroon, Ceylon, China, Co- graph 11 of General Assembly resolution 194(III) has lombia, Dahomey, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Ja- not been effected, that no substantial progress has maica, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, been made in the programme endorsed in paragraph Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey, 2 of resolution 513(VI) for the reintegration of refu- Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia. gees either by repatriation or resettlement and that, A/6115 and Corr.1. Report of Special Political therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to be Committee. a matter of serious concern; A/L.474. Nigeria: draft resolution. "2. Expresses its thanks to the Commissioner-Gen- RESOLUTION 2052 (xx), as submitted by Nigeria, A/ eral and the staff of the United Nations Relief and L.474, adopted by Assembly on 15 December 1965, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near meeting 1395, by roll-call vote of 91 to 1, with 7 East for their continued faithful efforts to provide abstentions as follows: essential services for the Palestine refugees, and to In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argen- the specialized agencies and private organizations for tina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, their valuable work in assisting the refugees; Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cameroon, "3. Directs attention to the critical financial posi- Canada, Central African Republic, Ceylon, Chad, tion of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as outlined Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethio- in the Commissioner-General's report; pia, Finland, France, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, "4. Notes with regret that contributions to the Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, India, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Pales- Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, tine Refugees in the Near East have not thus far been Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, sufficient to enable the Agency to cover its essential Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, budget requirements: Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand. "5. Call upon all Governments as a matter of Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Para- urgency to make the most generous efforts possible guay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, to meet the anticipated needs of theUnited Nations Saudi Arabia. Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad the Near East, particularly in the light of the budg- and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukrainian SSR, etary deficit projected in the Commissioner-General's USSR, United Arab Republic, United Kingdom, report; United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uru- "6. Directs the Commissioner-General of the guay, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Pales- Against: Israel. tine Refugees in the Near East to take such measures, QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 227 including rectification of the relief rolls—a problem (III) and to report thereon as appropriate and not which has been and continues to be of major concern later than 1 October 1966; to the General Assembly—as to assure, in co-opera- "8. Decides to extend until 30 June 1969, without tion with the Government concerned, the most equit- prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 11 of resolu- able distribution of relief based on need; tion 194(III), the mandate of the United Nations "7. Calls upon the United Nations Conciliation Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Commission for Palestine to intensify its efforts for the the Near East." implementation of paragraph 11 of resolution 194

THE QUESTION OF In 1965, the question of Oman was considered dom's relationship with the Sultanate was a by the General Assembly on the basis of a report special and rather exclusive one. The relation- by the Ad Hoc Committee (composed of the ship was not exclusive, the United Kingdom representatives of Afghanistan, Costa Rica, representative added, and if there was a "spe- Nepal, Nigeria and Senegal) which the Assem- cial" relationship—whatever that meant—it bly had established in 1963 and asked to re- did not follow that the relationship was one port to its nineteenth session in 1964. Because, possessing a colonial flavour. The list of United however, of the special circumstances prevail- Kingdom bases given to the Ad Hoc Commit- ing at its nineteenth session, the Assembly was tee was fictitious, he continued. The United not able to consider the report on that occasion. Kingdom simply had permission for two Royal In its conclusions, the Ad Hoc Committee had Air Force staging posts. Further, there were stated that the question of Oman was a seri- no United Kingdom troops stationed in the ous international problem requiring the special Sultanate. His delegation had serious reserva- attention of the Assembly and it had proposed tions concerning the Ad Hoc Committee's con- that the question be solved by negotiations as- clusions. With regard to the conclusion that sisted by a United Nations Good Offices Com- the question of Oman was a serious interna- mittee8. tional problem, the Ad Hoc Committee had At the Assembly's twentieth session, the ques- been considering the internal affairs of a sin- tion of Oman was again allocated to the Fourth gle country, the United Kingdom representa- Committee of the General Assembly for con- tive said, not a dispute between two countries. sideration. The United Kingdom representative Discussing the meaning of the "question of reserved his position with respect to the inclu- Oman", he observed that there was, on the sion of the item in the agenda, stating that the one hand, the Sultanate, a sovereign and in- Sultanate of Muscat and Oman was a sover- dependent country, whose Government was eign country and that there was no reason for in full control of its territory and, on the other, the United Nations to be concerned with its a small group of individuals, some of whom internal affairs. His proposal that, if the item had participated in an unsuccessful revolt six were to be considered, it should be referred to years earlier against the legal authorities. The the Special Political Committee, was rejected. United Nations did not normally intervene The Fourth Committee had before it the in such a situation. Consequently, he hoped report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Oman, that the Fourth Committee would recommend and it heard two petitioners: Faris Glubb, re- that the question of Oman be deleted from the presenting the Committee for the Rights of agenda. Oman, and Sheik Talib bin Ali Al-Hani. The representatives of Czechoslovakia, Hun- The United Kingdom representative drew gary, Iraq, Kenya and Syria were among those attention to a statement in the Ad Hoc Com- who maintained that the question of Oman mittee's report that it had not been able to was a colonial issue. A colonial relationship ex- reach firm conclusions. The Ad Hoc Com- isted between the United Kingdom and Oman. mittee, he said, had concluded that the Sul- Oman, they declared, had no full international tanate could not be considered a colony or a 8 protectorate in a formal sense. Yet the Com- See Y.U.N., 1964, pp. 186-88 for details on the re- mittee had also claimed that the United King- port of the Ad Hoc Committee. 228 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS responsibility for acts relating to either external settled by peaceful means in a manner safe- or internal affairs. guarding the inalienable right of the people Libya said that this was a colonial situation to real freedom. in which a country had been deprived of its The representative of Nigeria said that it freedom following an armed invasion and that had proved difficult to establish whether or not the people of Oman were asking to be allowed the question of Oman was a colonial one and to exercise their right to self-determination, a whether it was not within the competence of right which was recognized by the United Na- the Special Political Committee or even the tions Charter as the right of all nations. Third Committee rather than the Fourth Com- The representative of Algeria regarded the mittee. Whatever the answer, Algeria fully United Kingdom's imperialist occupation of supported those who had deplored United Oman as a form of colonialism, which, though Kingdom military intervention :in situations not of the conventional type, was nevertheless which the people themselves should have been particularly corrupt. The Ad Hoc Commit- allowed to settle. tee's report made it clear that relations between The representative of Ceylon declared that the United Kingdom and the Sultanate were the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman did not governed by military and political interventions fit the definition of a colony in the strict sense, carried out under the cover of bilateral trea- or of a protectorate, so that the question of ties. The United Kingdom, he said, had inter- Oman could not be placed in the category of vened to perpetuate its grip on the oil resources colonial problems. Therefore, he did not see of the country. how the problem could be referred to the As- Saudi Arabia commented that the United sembly's Special Committee of 24. While rela- Kingdom had resorted to colonial domination tions between the Sultanate and the United by treaty in the Arabian Peninsula. Kingdom were such that the latter undeniably These Members, as well as Albania, Jordan, wielded influence, the United Kingdom was the USSR, the United Arab Republic and not responsible for the administration of the Yugoslavia, considered that the problem was territory, and thus the United Nations could part of the general question of the implemen- not ask it to take measures relating to the future tation of the Declaration on the Granting of of Muscat and Oman. Independence to Colonial Countries and Peo- The representatives of Ceylon and Nigeria, ples and that it should be considered in the among others, fully endorsed the A d Hoc Com- light of the general struggle to eradicate colo- mittee's conclusions to the effect that the nialism in all its forms. They therefore pro- United Nations should take an active part in posed that the General Assembly should call facilitating the negotiations between all par- upon the United Kingdom to cease its aggres- ties concerned and that it should call upon the sion against the people of Oman, to withdraw Imam of Oman and the Sultan to make every from Oman and to release all political prison- effort to settle the question through the facili- ers; the Assembly should also refer the ques- ties of a good offices committee. tion to its Special Committee on the Situation Costa Rica, Iran and Ireland said that they with regard to the Implementation of the De- had found nothing in the Ad Hoc Commit- claration on the Granting of Independence to tee's report to convince them that Oman was Colonial Countries and Peoples (hereinafter re- a colony. Iran suggested that the Committee ferred to as the Special Committee of 24). think twice before deciding whether the appli- Italy noted that the Ad Hoc Committee cation of the Declaration on granting inde- clearly did not consider the question of Oman pendence be extended to cases regarding which to be of a colonial nature. Italy felt that the there were legal or constitutional doubts. question should not be referred to the Assem- During the course of the Committee's debate bly's Special Committee of 24 which was not a draft resolution was submitted by Algeria, competent to examine a question not of a colo- Burundi, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), the Demo- nial nature; it urged that the question should be cratic Republic of the Congo, Cyprus, Ghana, QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 229 Guinea, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Le- sembly would also invite its Special Commit- banon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, tee on the Situation with regard to the Imple- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, mentation of the Declaration on the Granting Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab of Independence to Colonial Countries and Republic, Upper Volta, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Peoples to examine the situation in the ter- and Zambia. By this text, the General As- ritory. sembly, expressing deep concern at the serious Before the Fourth Committee voted on the situation arising from colonial policies and draft text, the representative of Burma asked foreign intervention by the United Kingdom whether the expression "territory as a whole," in Oman, would, among other things: recog- was meant to include Muscat and the Trucial nize the inalienable right of the people of the States. On behalf of the co-sponsors, Syria territory as a whole to self-determination and said the expression meant the entire territory independence in accordance with their freely of Oman including the coastal and interior expressed wishes; consider that the colonial areas. presence of the United Kingdom in its various The draft resolution was approved by the forms prevented the people from exercising Fourth Committee on 14 December 1965 by a their rights to self-determination and independ- roll-call vote of 55 to 15, with 26 abstentions. ence; and call upon the United Kingdom to It was adopted by the General Assembly at a cease all repressive actions against the people, plenary meeting on 17 December 1965, by a withdraw its troops, release political prisoners, roll-call vote of 61 to 18, with 32 abstentions allow the return of political exiles and elimi- as resolution 2073 (XX). (For full text of reso- nate British domination in any form. The As- lution, See DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES below.)

DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES

GENERAL ASSEMBLY——20TH SESSION Yugoslavia, Zambia. General Committee, meeting 159. Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Den- Fourth Committee, meetings 1518, 1571-1576, 1585- mark, Finland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, New 1587, 1594. Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, United Plenary Meetings 1399, 1400. Kingdom, United States. Abstaining: Brazil, Burma, Central African Repub- A/5846. Report of Ad Hoc Committee on Oman. lic, Ceylon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Sal- A/C.4/643 and Add.l. Requests for hearings. vador, Ethiopia, France, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, A/C.4/664. Statement by Chairman of Fourth Com- Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra mittee on 20 December 1965, meeting 1594. Leone, Spain, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and A/C.4/L.821. Algeria, Burundi, Chad, Congo (Braz- Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela. zaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Cyprus, A/6168. Report of Fourth Committee. Ghana, Guinea, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Leb- RESOLUTION 2073 (xx), as proposed by Fourth Com- anon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, mittee, A/6168, adopted by Assembly on 17 De- Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, cember 1965, meeting 1399 by roll-call vote of 61 Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Republic, Upper to 18, with 32 abstentions, as follows: Volta, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia: draft resolu- In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, tion, adopted by Fourth Committee on 14 De- Bulgaria, Burundi, Byelorussian SSR, Cameroon, cember 1965, meeting 1587, by roll-call vote of Chad, Chile, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Re- 55 to 15, with 26 abstentions, as follows: public of the Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argen- Dahomey, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, tina, Bulgaria, Burundi, Byelorussian SSR, Cam- Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Iraq, Ivory eroon, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Re- Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, public of the Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Madagascar, Maldive Islands, Mali, Mauritania, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, Iraq, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakis- Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, tan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Trinidad Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukrainian Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Ara- SSR, USSR, United Arab Republic, United Re- bia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ugan- public of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Yemen, Yugo- da, Ukrainian SSR, USSR, United Arab Republic, slavia, Zambia. United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Yemen, Against: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Den- 230 POLITICAL AND SECURITY QUESTIONS mark, Finland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, co-operate with the Ad Hoc Committee on Oman and Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South for not facilitating its visit to the Territory; Africa, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States. "3. Recognizes the inalienable right of the people Abstaining: Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Central African of the Territory as a whole to self-determination and Republic, Ceylon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, independence in accordance with their freely expressed El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Guatemala, Hon- wishes; duras, India, Iran, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Malawi, "4. Considers that the colonial presence of the Malaysia, Malta, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, United Kingdom in its various forms prevents the peo- Sierra Leone, Spain, Thailand, Togo, Uruguay, ple of the Territory from exercising their rights to self- Venezuela. determination and independence; "5. Calls upon the Government of the United "The General Assembly, Kingdom to effect immediately the implementation in "Having considered the report of the Ad Hoc Com- the Territory of the following measures: mittee on Oman, "(a) Cessation of all repressive action; against the "Recalling its resolutions 1514(XV) of 14 December people of the Territory; 1960 and 1948 (XVIII) of 11 December 1963, "(6) Withdrawal of British troops; "Having heard the statements made by the repre- "(c) Release of political prisoners and political de- sentative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and tainees and return of political exiles to the Territory; Northern Ireland and by the petitioners, "(d) Elimination of British domination in any form; "Deeply concerned at the serious situation arising "6. Invites the Special Committee on the Situation from colonial policies and foreign intervention by the with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration United Kingdom in the Territory. on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries "1. Takes note of the report of the Ad Hoc Com- and Peoples to examine the situation in the Territory; mittee on Oman and expresses appreciation to the "7. Requests the Secretary-General to take, in con- Committee for its efforts; sultation with the Special Committee, appropriate "2. Deplores the attitude of the Government of the measures for the implementation of the present resolu- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ire- tion and to report thereon to the General Assembly land and the authorities in the Territory for refusing to at its twenty-first session."

COMMUNICATIONS CONCERNING YEMEN AND THE UNITED KINGDOM

In a letter dated 22 March 1965 to the In reply on 30 July, the representative of Secretary-General, the representative of the Yemen denied that Yemeni planes had vio- United Kingdom charged that Yemen aircraft lated the air space of the Federation. His Gov- had violated the air space of the Federation of ernment had notified the British authorities South Arabia.9 that, as a result of the infiltration into Yemen The representative of Yemen addressed a of an anti-revolutionary group corning from note verbale dated 17 March and a letter dated the British Protectorate of Beihan, a military 25 March to the Secretary-General in which operation had taken place in the area, and two he protested against the dropping of leaflets aircraft had been ordered to pursue the in- by British planes over the Assari area in prepa- filtrators, but the Yemeni forces had had clear ration for a British air strike. orders not to cross the Beihan borders. It was In six successive letters dated 30 March. thus clear that the British Protectorate of Bei- 5 April, 7 April, 12 April, 30 June and 26 July han was still being used as a base of infiltration to the Secretary-General, the United Kingdom against Yemen. In a letter dated 13 August, representative denied Yemen's allegations and the United Kingdom representative said his stated that the Yemeni authorities had com- Government could not accept the allegation mitted a series of attacks in the Beihan area that the State of Beihan had been used as a of the Federation of South Arabia. The United base for military operations within Yemen. Kingdom was therefore obliged to take appro- On 1 October, the representative of Yemen priate defence measures in accordance with 10 Article 51 of the Charter. He further charged 9 For background information, see Y.U.N., 1964, pp. that on 29 June, two Yemeni MIG fighters 181-86. had circled over the Wadi Harib area and at- 10 For text of Article 51 of Charter, see APPENDIX n, tacked two places in the Federal territory. below. QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE MIDDLE EAST 231 said that by continuing attacks on Yemen, by- Kingdom to suspend certain provisions of the dissolving the Legislative Council, and by dis- Constitution. This action was wholly within its missing the Council of Ministers of Aden, the responsibility. British authorities had flouted the Security (On 10 November, the President of the Gen- Council and General Assembly resolutions con- eral Assembly transmitted to the President of cerning the question of Aden.11 He charged the Security Council the text of a resolution that British aircraft had violated Yemen air (2023(XX)) concerning Aden adopted by the space on 4, 5, 9, 12 and 27 August and that General Assembly on 5 November 1965 by which British troops had opened fire against Yemeni the Assembly, among other things, drew the territory. Council's attention to the "dangerous" situa- On 5 October, the representatives of Algeria, tion prevailing in the area as a result of Brit- Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mo- ish military action against the people. (See rocco, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, the United below, pp. 559-60.) Arab Republic and Yemen addressed a letter In a letter on 8 November, the United King- to the President of the Security Council in which dom representative informed the Security they complained about the British Govern- Council that no British military aircraft had ment's suspension of the Aden Constitution. been responsible for the alleged overflights of These arbitrary measures, they said, were con- Yemeni territory on 4, 5, 9, 12 and 27 August trary to the provisions of the Charter and to as mentioned in the Yemeni letter of 1 Octo- the resolutions of the General Assembly and ber. of the Assembly's Special Committee on the In reply to the United Kingdom's letter of Situation with regard to the Implementation 8 November, the representative of Yemen, on of the Declaration on the Granting of Inde- 29 November, said there had been 14 new pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. acts of aggression committed against his coun- In reply, the United Kingdom representa- try. The Yemen Government, in drawing the tive, on 13 October, said his Government had attention of the Security Council to this dan- repeatedly declared its firm intention of bring- gerous situation, reserved to itself the legitimate ing South Arabia to independence not later right of self-defence should the situation de- than 1968. In view of a terrorist campaign in teriorate or persist.

Aden which the former Aden Ministers refused 11 to condemn, it became necessary for the United See Y.U.N., 1964, pp. 414-17 for background.

DOCUMENTARY REFERENCES

S/6252 and Corr.1. Letter of 22 March 1965 from S/6786. Letter of 13 October 1965 from United United Kingdom. Kingdom. S/6258, S/6259. Note verbale of 17 March and letter S/6887. Letter of 8 November 1965 from United of 25 March 1965 from Yemen. Kingdom. S/6265, S/6272, S/6276, S/6283, S/6489, S/6564. S/6900. Letter of 10 November 1965 from President Letters of 30 March, 5, 7, and 12 April, 30 June and of General Assembly, transmitting resolution 2023 26 July 1965 from United Kingdom. (XX) of 5 November 1965 concerning Aden. S/6591. Letter of 30 July 1965 from Yemen. S/6983. Letter of 29 November 1965 from Yemen. S/6617. Letter of 13 August 1965 from United King- dom. GENERAL ASSEMBLY——20TH SESSION S/6733. Letter of 1 October 1965 from Yemen. Plenary Meeting 1368. S/6748. Letter of 5 October 1965 from Algeria, Iraq, A/6002. Report of Security Council to General As- Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi sembly, Chapter 19. Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Republic and A/6095. Letter of 5 November 1965 from United Yemen. Kingdom.