Lausanne transmitted competing proposals under an explicit rule that forwarding did not imply endorsement.

What memorandum reached the Commission?

The Arab memorandum is headed May 21 but signed May 20; a later American telegram says it was communicated May 21. The full study preserves all three dates and explains its linked territorial, refugee and withdrawal demands. These were negotiating claims rather than an implemented settlement.12

What did the Commission approve?

At 10 a.m. the Commission approved a transmission letter stressing its intermediary role and a reply to the May 18 demands. It also approved technical candidates and an additional representative from the English Empire while waiting on the Turkish nomination. The committee study distinguishes this administrative progress from a completed investigation or endorsement of either side’s borders.34

The Federal Register published Proclamation 2839 in its May 21 issue. The original images confirm May 19 signature, May 20 filing and effect from April 18. Publication is today’s documentary milestone; it is not a second signing of the shipping proclamation.5

How is this dated?

This is Day 539 of the 599-day civil-date series: 1949-05-21. Its daytime Ivrit route is כ״ב באייר ה׳תש״ט 22nd 𝑜𝑓 Iyar, AM 5709. An individual occurrence after local sunset belongs to כ״ג באייר ה׳תש״ט 23rd 𝑜𝑓 Iyar, AM 5709; the recap route does not certify each occurrence hour. SR.61 supplies May 21 at 10 a.m. The memorandum’s signed date is May 20 but its communication is assigned to May 21 in the May 23 telegram; the delivery hour is unknown. The Federal Register is an issue dated May 21, preserving an earlier legal act.67

Guided reflections

  • Why can forwarding a proposal be necessary without endorsing it?
  • What does the memorandum’s signature line establish that its header does not?

Footnotes

  1. United Nations, A/AC.25/AR/11, AR/11, header and signature. ↩
  2. FRUS 1949, vol. VI, document 681, FRUS 681, May 23 report of May 21 communication. ↩
  3. United Nations, A/AC.25/SR.61, SR.61, transmission and technical committee. ↩
  4. United Nations, A/AC.25/IS/17, IS/17, letter. ↩
  5. Federal Register, May 21, 1949, Printed pp. 2681 and 2683. ↩
  6. United Nations, A/AC.25/AR/11, Dated source identified in the preceding section. ↩
  7. Hebcal, 1949 Calendar, 1949 calendar; daytime mapping only. ↩

Works cited

  1. United Nations. A/AC.25/AR/11. Original French memorandum, signed May 20, 1949, headed May 21, 1949. https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/AAC25Ar11f.pdf. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. United States Department of State. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949. Vol. VI. Document 681. Office of the Historian. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1949v06/d681. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. United Nations. A/AC.25/SR.61. Official record; original PDF or hosted transcription identified in source custody. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-210716/. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. United Nations. A/AC.25/IS/17. Official record; original PDF or hosted transcription identified in source custody. https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/AAC25IS17.pdf. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. United States. Federal Register 14, no. 98 (May 21, 1949): 2681, 2683. Proclamation 2839, signed May 19 and filed May 20, 1949. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1949-05-21/pdf/FR-1949-05-21.pdf. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. Hebcal. Jewish Holidays 1949. Calendar conversion only; no individual occurrence-hour evidence. https://www.hebcal.com/holidays/1949. Accessed October 11, 2026.