S/PV.685 Security Council

The 684th meeting of the Security Council was interrupted in the tragic and distressing cl.rcumstances which we aIl remember. The representatives of aIl the members of the Security Council have already paid tribute in the General Assembly 1 ta the memory of Mahmoud Azmi; but 1 feel that today, on behalf of aIl the members of the Security Counci1, 1 should again assure the Egyptian delegation of our deep sympathy in its loss, which is also that of the Egyptian nation. 2. Mahmoud sagesse, triotes peuvent notre façon dont dignité 2. The Security C<>uncil will cherish the memory of Mahmoud Azmi, whose wisdom, great ability and conciliatory spirit we aU valued highly. His fellow-countrymen and his colleagues of the Egyptian delegation may be sure that we Shall a1ways remember him and the exemplary dignity with which he represented his country among us.

My delegation has been deeply touched by the many expressions of sympathy which it has received in the cruelloss just inflicted on it by the death of Mah.moud Azmi, who passed away in this very cr..tmber while discharging his important duties. 5. Mahmoud Azmi's idealism and international feeling won him the respect and esteem of aIl his fe1low workers in the United Nations. 6. On behalf of my Government and delegation, 1 wish to express our deepest gratitude to the members of the Security Council and to the representativcs .of ail delegations that joined us in our grief and paid tribute tel the great man who is no longer with us. The Palestine question Complaint hy Israel against Egypt ~oncerning (a) enforcement hy Egypt of restrictions on the passage of ships trading with Israel through the Suez Canal (S/3296, S/3297 and Corr.I, 8/3298, S/3300, S/3302, 8/3309, S/3310, 8/3311)

As you will remember, the Security Council was called as result of a telegram to the President of the Security Council from the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization [8/3309] and at the request of the Israel delegation (8/3310], which wished to draw the Council's attention to certain obstacles which, in its opinion, were delaying the consideration by the Mixed Armistice Commission of the Bat Galim incident. 8. Members of the Council expressed a number of opinions on the subject which 1should like to try to recall and summarize so as to clarify the situation. 9. Mr. Munro, the representative of New ZeaIand, expressed his opinion in the following terms: "In view of the Council's continuing concern with the question of principle which may be affected, 1 express the hope that ways and means will be found, with the co-operation of both parties, to expedite the consideration of this incident in the Mixed Armistice Commission, ifnecessary by giving it priority over other incidents of less importance" [684th meeting, para. 4]. He concluded: "1 hope-indeed, 1 would go further and say that 1 would expect~that the Security Council will receive the conclusions of the Mixed Armistice Commission before, may 1say, the end of this month. 1 appeal to-the parties to do aIl they can to secure this expedition of the Commission's work" [ibid., para.S]. 10. Speaking on behalf of the United Kingdom, Sir Pierson Dixon said: cc 1, like the representative of New Zea1and, feel that members of the Security Council are entitled to expect .that such a report will he forthcoming quickly. My 11. The representative of the United States took a similar position. Mr. Wadsworth said: ,. Although we would also be inclined to agree... that the report should be forthcoming without delay, and in point of fact we should welcome such a report long before the end of this month, we consider the date of its issue to be ofless importance than its substance" [ibid., para. 10]. . 12. Mr. Urrutia, t]-. representative of Colombia, expressed like views: " .. .it is quite apparent from thestatements that we have heard this morning that there has been a regrettable delay in the work of the Mixed Armistice Commission. We should do everything we can to ensure that th~ Commission prepares its report and submits it to us in the near future" [ibid., para. 17]. ' 13. Mr. Leme, the representative 01 Brazil, was of the same opinion: "1 agree with the representative of New Zealand in thinking that we should instruct the Mixed Armistice Commission to try to submit its report as soon as possible" [ibid., para. 20). 14. Finally, Mr. Azmi himself stated at the morning meeting that: "It is for the Chairman [of the Mixed Armistice Commission]-after taking the matter up with the Commission, of course-to decide which of the agenda items are the most important. The items should then be dealt with rapidly, at daily meetings if necessary. Mter five or six impOltant incidents have been selected from among the 144 cases mentioned, the incident of the Bat Goiim might, for instance, be taken up as the fourth or fifth item. But it is for the Chainnan. after an exchange of views among the members '.,' the Commission, to take a decîsion" [683rd meeting, para.8S]. 15. These various stateœents, from which 1 have just quoted, express a general fet';ling which 1 think refiects the position of the Security Council towards the request before it. 1 might summarize that position as follows: The Couneil considers that it is for the Chairman of the Mixed Armistice Commission to decide the order of importance of the questions considered by the Commission, and consequently to determine the order in which they shall be examined. The Council thinks that it would be advisable for the Chairman, in making that evaluation, to bear in mind that the Council has been seized of the Bat Goiim incident and decided at its meeting of 14 October 1954 [682nd meeting] to defer the consideration of the matter pending receipt of the Mixed Armistice Commission's report. The Council consequently desires that the The President of the Security Com:.cil will advise the Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization of the foregoing, and will see that the records of the Councîl's meetings of 14 October and 3 and 11 Novern"'!": 1954 are transmitted without delay to the Chairman Df the Mixed Armistice Commission to inform hiin of the feeling of members of the Council. 16. If, in this summary, 1 have faithfully expressed the opinion ofthe members ofthe Security COUDcil and there is no objection, 1 intend to reply along these lines to the ;llquiries addressed to' the President of the Security Couneil by General Burns, Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization. We shall . ,en await the reply of the Chairman of the Mixed Arn.Jstice Commission before meeting again to study the CO:mil)ission's report. 17. 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