Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

840.48 Refugees/2949

The British Embassy to the Department of State

The British Government is most anxious to avoid, if possible, a repetition of the situation created recently in Cuba with regard to the refugees on the Portuguese steamship Saint Thome.

The reason given by the Cuban authorities for not permitting these refugees to disembark even though possessed of valid Cuban visas, is that these visas were granted prior to the new immigration decree of April 18th which annuls visas granted before that date to persons from enemy or enemy occupied countries who may not yet have entered Cuba.

The British Government would be pleased if the American Government could see its way to instructing its representative in Havana to support His Majesty’s Minister there in unofficial representations with the object of inducing the Cuban Government to refrain from the application of this decree in such a manner as to cause hardship.

Washington , May 1, 1942.