A/AC.25/W/46 of 16 May 1950

Home \|\| Permalink

*U N I T E D N A T I O N S*		Distr. RESTRICTED A/AC.25/W/46 16 May 1950 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

Memorandum
on the procedure to be followed
in the establishment of Mixed Committees

(Working paper prepared by the Secretariat)

A. Number of Mixed Committees

There shall be a total of five Mixed Committees; four Bilateral Committees and one Multilateral Committee on Refugees.

B. Chairmanship of the Mixed Committees

All five committees shall be presided over by the Conciliation Commission in corpore, the Chairman of the Conciliation Commission taking the chair in the committees.

C. Composition of the Mixed Committees

1) Bilateral Committees*

The four Bilateral Committees shall be respectively composed of one Israeli representative, one representative of the interested Arab State and the Conciliation Commission in corpore.

2) The Multilateral Committee on Refugees shall be composed of one representative of each of the five Governments concerned and the Conciliation Commission in corpore.

D. Terms of reference of the Mixed Committees**

1. The terms of reference of the Bilateral Committees shall be following:

To consider all questions of interest to the principals of each committee except those aspects of the refugee question which have by common consent been entrusted to the Multilateral Committee on Refugees.

2. The terms of reference of the Multilateral Committee on Refugees shall be the following:

To consider all aspects of the refugee question which are of interest to the Arab States as a whole (i.e. the interpretation of the principle enunciated in paragraph 11 of the General Assembly’s resolution of 11 December 1948).

E. Operation of the Mixed Committees

1. The Mixed Committees can hold plenary meetings or working meetings.

Plenary meetings shall be attended by the Conciliation Commission in corpore, its Chairman acting as Chairman of the committee.

Working meetings of each committee shall be presided over by the individual deputy or alternate of a Commissioner to whom this task will have been delegated by the Commission.

2. The Mixed Committees can establish technical subcommittees or working groups. Each subcommittee or working group may be presided over either by the Chairman of the Mixed Committee which created it or by a member of the Secretariat entrusted with this task by the Commission in agreement with the parties.

F. The Role of the Conciliation Commission

1. Besides presiding over the Mixed Committees the Commission will act as Steering Committee (coordinating committee) for the activities of all committees. In this role the Commission will either meet alone or with representatives of all the parties concerned.

2. The Commission may also meet with individual delegations on specific questions.

ANNEX

Outline
showing some of the subjects
which might be dealt with
in the various Mixed Committees

BILATERAL COMMITTEES

I. Territorial questions:

1. Delineation of frontiers;

2. Free zones;

3. Demilitarized zones and other aspects;

4. Rights of way, water rights,

II. Refugee question:

1. Actual repatriation;

2. Territorial compensation;

3. Status in special zones and in territories changing hands;

4. Special cases (Gaza, Tulkarm, Bedouins).

III. On economic and technical, questions:

1) Communications:

a) Railways

b) Roads

c) Aerodromes

2) Telecommunications:

a) Postal

b) Telegraphic

c) Telephonic

3) Joint use of natural resources:

a) The Jordan

b) The Litani

c) The Dead Sea

4) Fishing and navigation rights

5) Oil

6) Narcotics control

7) Contraband control

8) Health

IV. Commercial relations.

B. MULTILATERAL COMMITTEE ON REFUGEES

I. The principle enunciated in paragraph 11 of the General Assembly's resolution (see W/45).

II. Specific questions of interest to all Arab States:

1. Extension of the formula for the repatriation of separated families;

2. Supply of foodstuffs from the Arab States for the use of Arab refugees in Israel;

3. Free access of pilgrims through the various States concerned to the Holy Places;

4. Further unfreezing of blocked accounts.

Endnotes
* It might be necessary to envisage the possibility of a third State wishing to participate in the negotiations of a bilateral committee on some specific question.
** A list of subjects which might be discussed in the Mixed Committees is annexed hereto.

Document in PDF format

Memorandum sur la procédure à suivre pour la création de comités mixtes - Document de travail de la CCNUP Français