Office of the Historian

974.5301/2–2554: Telegram

No. 773
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt1

confidential
Washington, February 25, 1954—4:28 p.m.

987. Largely in response our suggestion New Zealand has drafted and is presently preparing table in Security Council resolution on Suez transit. First draft quoted below for your information only. We hope secure agreement with UK, France and New Zealand on alternate language for paras 3 and 4 before resolution introduced.

Our objective is make resolution more moderate and avoid implication Security Council must take additional action if Egypt fails comply.

Verbatim text.

The Security Council

1.
Having considered the complaint of Israel against Egypt concerning:
(A)
Enforcement by Egypt of restrictions on the passage of ships trading with Israel through the Suez Canal;
(B)
Interference by Egypt with shipping proceeding to the Israeli port of Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba; (S/3168)
2.
Recalling its resolution of 1 September 1951 (S/2298/Rev.1) in which it called upon Egypt to terminate the restrictions on the passage of international commercial shipping and goods through the Suez Canal wherever bound, and to cease all interference with such shipping beyond that essential to the safety of shipping in the Canal itself and to the observance of the international conventions in force;
3.
Expresses its grave concern that Egypt has not complied with the resolution of 1 September 1951;
4.
Calls upon Egypt promptly and fully so to comply;
5.
Considers that the question raised by Israel in paragraph (B) of its complaint should properly be dealt with in the first instance by the MAC established under the GAA between Egypt and Israel. End verbatim text.2
Dulles
  1. Sent also to Tel Aviv and to New York by pouch.↩

  2. The New Zealand draft resolution as submitted to the Security Council on March 23 reads as follows:

    “The Security Council,

    • “1. Having considered the complaint of Israel against Egypt concerning:
      • “(a) Enforcement by Egypt of restrictions on the passage of ships trading with Israel through the Suez Canal;
      • “(b) Interference by Egypt with shipping proceeding to the Israel port of Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba (S/3168);
    • “2. Noting the statements made before the Council by the representatives of Egypt and Israel,
    • “3. Recalling its resolution of 1 September 1951 (S/2298/Rev.1);
    • “4. Notes with grave concern that Egypt has not complied with that resolution;
    • “5. Calls upon Egypt, in accordance with its obligations under the Charter, to comply therewith;
    • “6. Considers that, without prejudice to the provisions of the resolution of 1 September 1951, the complaint referred to in paragraph 1(b) above should in the first instance be dealt with by the Mixed Armistice Commission established under the General Armistice Agreement between Egypt and Israel.” (U.N. doc. S/3188 and Corp.1)

    The New Zealand draft resolution was put to the vote on Mar. 29, and received 8 votes in favor (including the United States) and 2 against (Lebanon and the Soviet Union), with 1 abstention (China). Because one of the votes was that of a permanent member, the Soviet Union, the draft resolution was not adopted.

    ↩