DOCUMENTS ON ISRAELI—SOVIET RELATIONS

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was not asking me to give away secrets (here we smiled at each other like two burglars), but they lacked consolidated, objective information. He would like to have the material in Russian. I expressed my readiness to prepare the material and asked how to get it to him. After repeated hesitations he asked whether we could forward the memorandum in a sealed envelope addressed to him at the Yugoslav consulate in Jerusalem. As I was leaving, Manya shohat8 entered (apparently on behalf of the V League). She did not consult with us in advance about calling on him and we have not been apprised about the content of their conversation.

   I am preparing the memorandum according to Kh[angulov]’s request.

94 V.M.Molotov to A.Ia.Vyshinskii(New York)1

CODED TEL: AVP RF,F.059,OP.18,P.!&,D.116.L.101

MOSCOW,30 September 1947

TOP Secret/TOP Priority

Don’t oppose the majority opinion2 on the issue of the partition of Palestine. On the remaining [matters],we agree with your proposal.

   Confirm receipt3.

                                                    Molotov

注释

Doc.93

8.Manya shohat was a founding member of the  V League.

Doc.94

1.Vyshinskii was head of the Soviet delegation to the Second Session of the UN General Assembly that opened on 23 September. The Palestine issue was one of the items on the agenda of this session. At the beginning of the discussions it was decided that ,owing to the complexity and importance of the Palestine issue, it would be referred to a special ad hoc committee, on which all member states would be represented. This committee convened for its first meeting on 25 September.

2.it is clear that Vyshinskii had inquired as to his superiors’ attitude to the UNSCOP recommendations. On the UNSCOP Committee recommendations,see Doc.91,n,2.

3.six copies were made of this telegram. The first was sent to Stalin, the second was kept by Molotov, two copies were preserved in the Tenth Department(coding)and two copies were filed. The following persons were acquainted with the contents of this telegram Malik(deputy foreign minister),Vinogradov(director of the Department of UN Affairs), Golunskii( director of the Legal Deparment), Kozyrev( director of the First European Department) and Bakulin( director of the Middle East Department).

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  95 V.M.Molotov to A.Ia.Vyshinskii(New York)

CODE TEL:AVP RF,F.059,OP.18,P.17,D.116,L.109

Moscow,30 September 1947

Top Secret/Top Priority

Futher to our No.106.1

   Keep in mind that in the directive to Gromyko with which you are familiar2, we were motivated by tactical considerations in suggesting the first option for the solution of the Palestine  question—the creation of a dual state. We did not want to take the initiative3 in the creation of a Jewish state, but the second option of the above-mentioned directive, the creation of an independent Jewish state, better conveys our position. Since after the inquiry, the majority of the UN Committee spoke in favour of the creation of a separate Jewish state, you should support this majority opinion, which corresponds to our basic position on this issue.

   Confirm receipt4.

96 A.Ia.Vyshinskii to V.M.Molotov(Moscow)

CODE TEL:AVP RF,F.059.OP.18,P.41,D.301,LL.351-2

New York,15 October 1947

Top Secret/Top Priority

To Molotov,

   Our statement on Palestine was well received by the Jews1. the Arabs were disappointed, although after Gromyko’s speech at the emergency session, they had little hope of a change in our position. Before Tsarapkin spoke, the Syrian told him that if the Assembly decided to adopt the Special Committee’s report as its basis, they would then be inclined to stick with the minority plan; the majority plan is absolutely unacceptable to the Arabs.

注释

Doc.95

1.Doc.94

2.regarding his speech at the first Special Session of the General Assembly, see Doc.83and 99.

3.the original text, crossed out by Molotov read:”it was inexpedient for us to take the initiative…”

4.the distribution of this document as in Doc.94.n.3.

Doc.96

1.on 13 October 1947, the Soviet representative to the Ad Hoc Committee, S.Tsarapkin, laid down the Soviet position on Palestine supporting the UNSCOP majority recommendation.