White House Press Release, Statement by President Harry S. Truman

2135 IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 26, 1949 STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT The Secretary General of the United Nations has today announced the appointment of a distinguished American, Gordon R. Clapp, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, as Chairman of an economic survey mission which is being created on recommendation of the Palestine Conciliation Commission. Mr. Clapp will head a mission composed of experts, recruited on an international basis, which will examine the economic situation arising from the recent hostilities in the Near East and will recom- mend to the Conciliation Commission means of overcoming resultant economic dislocations, of reintegrating the refugees into the economic life of the area, and of creating economic conditions which will be conducive to the establishment of permanent peace. In view of the urgency of the problem, it is expected that the survey mission will complete its work in a comparatively short time, and Mr. Clapp will then resume his duties with the Tennessee Valley Authority. The United States Government has attached the greatest sig- nificance to the work of the Conciliation Commission in facilitating settlement of issues outstanding between Israel and the Arab States. This Government now pledges full support to the newly created economic mission and stands ready to give careful consideration to such assist- ance as we might appropriately render, under the auspices of the United Nations, in carrying out the recommendations of the mission. I am confident that the United Nations and its member states which are in a position to render assistance will do likewise. Traditional American cultural interests in the Near East have in recent years been reinforced by expanding economic and commercial ties and by recognition of the important role of that historical cross- roads between three continents in the maintenance of peace and security of the world of today. This steady expansion of our relations with the Near East has given rise to a natural interest on the part of this Government in the welfare of the governments and peoples of that area. In so saying, however, I wish to emphasize that now as in the past we have no ax of special privilege to grind. We do, however, have an obvious community of interest with the countries of the Near East, and it is proper that we should give that relationship the careful and understanding consideration which it merits. It is only since the first World War that most of the states in the Near East began their march toward self-government and independ- ence. These states have now become their own masters. There is no doubt that the long struggles for independence, as well as the recent hostilities, have made it difficult for the peoples of the area to achieve progressive development in their economic and social institu- tions. The United States is deeply conscious of these needs and of the relationship between their satisfactory solution and healthy progress in the political field. With the termination of the recent Arab-Israeli hostilities, the governments and the peoples of the Near East should now be in a position to devote the full measure of their abilities and resources to their economic and social betterment. In my inaugural address of January 20, 1949, I expressed the desire of this Government to extend technical assistance to underdeveloped areas under the so-called "Point Four" program. The application of this program to the Near East would be of material assistance in reinforcing any program which might be formulated on the basis of the recommendations of the economic survey mission. It would be oversimplifying the problem, however, to imply that solution of the economic problems of the Near East depends wholly upon outside assistance. It is only through the initiative and coopera- tion of the states of the Near East that progress can be made toward the solution of their own grave problems. Progress can be made only if the