Cablegram UN904 NEW YORK, 25 September 1947, 6.56 p.m.
SECRET
Assembly 39.
1. First meeting of Palestine Committee [1] today Dr. Evatt was with one vote of abstention elected President. He was nominated by Cuba and seconded by Belgium. Yugoslavia in abstaining said that they knew personally Dr. Evatt would be objective and impartial but as Australia was a member of the great family of the British Commonwealth and Britain was the mandatory power it would be preferable to have someone else as President. However as they had no other nomination Yugoslavia would merely abstain.
2. Representatives of Siam and Iceland respectively were elected Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur.
3. It was agreed that Jewish agency and the Arab Higher Committee should be given same privilege of sitting with Committee as was accorded during the Special Assembly on Palestine.
4. After hearing of statement by United Kingdom Government tomorrow and statement by Chairman of Palestine Special Committee the Committee will begin discussion of U.N.S.C.O.P. report.
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1 That is, an ad hoc committee established by the General Assembly early in its regular session.
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[AA : A1838, TS852/20/2, i]