NOTE OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE USSR V.M. MOLOTOV TO THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CC VKP (b), CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE USSR I.V. STALIN

Stalin, Soviets and Israeli Question

NOTE OF THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE USSR V.M. MOLOTOV TO THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CC VKP (b), CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE USSR I.V. STALIN

April 9, 1948

Secret

I present for approval the draft directive of Comrade Gromyko to session of the General Assembly.

V. Molotov

ATTACHMENT

Draft directives of the USSR delegation to the second special session of the UN General Assembly on the question of Palestine

The Soviet delegation should be guided by the following in its work at the special session of the General Assembly:

1. To seek election to the Credentials Committee of one representative from the Soviet delegations or from Poland or Czechoslovakia.

2. Do not nominate candidates for the post of Chairman of the Assembly.

The question of support for the nominated candidate will be decided by the delegation on the spot, depending on the situation.

3. To seek election to the General Committee, except for the USSR, two more representatives from Eastern European countries, of which, depending on the situation: two vice-presidents of the Assembly and one chairman of the committee, or two chairmen of committees and one vice-chairman of the Assembly.

4. To defend the General Assembly resolution of 11/29/1947 on the partition of Palestine, guided by the directives given to the Soviet delegations at the special and second sessions of the General Assembly.

Indicate that during the period since the adoption of the said resolution, the United Kingdom in every possible way obstructed its implementation and, in particular, opposed the visit of the Palestinian Commission to Palestine, which was therefore unable to start on-site preparatory work for the section.

Indicate also that the Security Council, for its part, has not exhausted the means at its disposal to implement this resolution.

5. Criticize the American guardianship of Palestine, noting the following:

a) The new US proposal on the question of Palestine, aimed at overturning a General Assembly decision adopted by a two-thirds majority, not only fails to bring peace to Palestine, but leads to an exacerbation of the struggle between Jews and Arabs, and at the same time creates a threat to peace and increased anxiety in the Middle East. At the same time, the General Assembly, which took its decision with the active participation of the United States after a detailed discussion of the question of Palestine, is put in a false position as an object of political maneuvers by the ruling circles of the United States, trying to impose on the General Assembly a new solution to the question of Palestine, regardless of the legitimate national interests of the peoples Palestine.

6) US proposal to establish guardianship over Palestine does not correspond to the current cultural and political level of development of the Jewish and Arab population, due to which it meets with a negative attitude and resistance from both Jews and Arabs. Establishing guardianship over Palestine is not a step forward from the mandate system to the national self-determination of the peoples of Palestine, but leaves Palestine in the position of a semi-colony.

c) As for that part of the American proposals, which speaks about the foundations of the organization of power in Palestine, it contradicts the principle of self-government and is imbued with distrust of the ability of the local population to organize the administration of Palestine on a democratic basis on their own.

6. Declare that due to the above considerations the Soviet delegations will vote against the American proposal.

7. Insist on the confirmation of the November 29 resolution and on the adoption by the UN members of effective measures to implement it.

AVP RF, f. 06, op. 10, p. 15, d. 160, l. 4-7.

Publ .: Mezhdunarodnaya zhizn.- 1998.- No. 10.- S. 88-89.