"ملف ٣٢/١١ اللجنة الملكية المعنية بفلسطين" [ظ‎‎٦‎٧] (٣٠٨/١٣٤)

10
which the policy which was contemplated some two decades
ago, and which we have done our utmost to carry out ever
since, has become dehnitely unworkable. . . .
“ That is the situation in which His Majesty's Government
come to the Council to-day. Palestine is a mandated territory
administered by Great Britain on behalf of the League. The
Palestine problem is not merely one that concerns Arabs and
Jews, or one for which His Majesty’s Government alone is
required to find a solution. It is a problem that concerns the
League as a whole. The mandatory Power can take no steps
towards the modification of the mandatory regime without th^
authority of the League. His Majesty’s Government clearly can
not proceed to work out the details of any scheme of partition,
such as has been suggested by the Royal Commission, ur^s
they are assured that they have the general approval of the
Council in embarking on this task. It is for that general
approval that I ask to-day.
“ My colleagues will have seen the statement of policy issued
by His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom at the
time of the publication of the Royal Commission’s report. In
that statement the opinion was recorded ‘ that a scheme of parti
tion on the general lines recommended by the commission repre
sents the best and most hopeful solution of the deadlock.’ To
that opinion we adhere All I ask at this stage is that
His Majesty’s Government shall be given authority to proceed
forthwith to work out the details of such a scheme, if possible
in co-operation with representatives of both Jews and Arabs,
it being understood that no scheme will be put into effect
without further reference to, and approval by, the Council.
“ The procedure that His Majesty’s Government have in
mind, if the Council give their general approval to the policy
which I have outlined, is to appoint a further special body
to visit Palestine, to negotiate with Arabs and Jews and**o
submit to His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom
proposals for a detailed scheme of partition. It would b^^
the task of this body to advise, in due course, as to the pro
visional boundaries of the proposed Arab and Jewish States
and of the new British mandated area, and also to undertake
the financial and other enquiries for which the Royal Com
mission recommended that a financial commission should be
appointed.
“ At a later stage, a final and detailed boundary demarca
tion commission would need to be appointed
“ In the view of His Majesty’s Government in the United
Kingdom, partition is the only ultimate solution. It alone
admits of the fulfilment both of Article 22 of the Covenant,
which contemplates independence as the goal of all territories