840.48 Refugees/834: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Kennedy) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 19—1:55 p.m.]
1209. From Rublee. Pell was requested to discuss the question of the approach to the German Government, in the light of Wilson’s and Henderson’s conversations with Weizsaecker, at the Foreign Office this afternoon. The official concerned said that Henderson’s report was discouraging and it looked as though the German reply to the [Page 802] request that I be received would be in the negative. The immediate question, therefore, was to decide whether some further move should be made at Berlin before the German Government makes its formal reply which would be final. It might be pointed out to Weizsaecker where, in the event of a negative reply from the German Government, the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee will be obliged to call a meeting of the Committee in order that a report may be made to the participating governments of the decision of the German Government. And the publicity which would undoubtedly result from a meeting for this purpose would obviously be most unfortunate but could not be avoided.
The British are not fully convinced that it would be useful or wise to approach the German Government in this manner but they wish me to submit the suggestion to you in strict confidence and would appreciate an immediate expression of your views. [Rublee.]