840.48 Refugees/4128: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 9—4:18 p.m.]
5228. In reading over the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees (my 5069 August 4, 10 p.m.) I found that, in place of the phrase “that administrative expenses of the Executive Committee be borne equally by all Government members” the word “share” alone appeared. My statement to the Committee was clear, as I read it from a typed sheet and then argued in support of the position. The Brazilian representative acquiesced in accepting the United States viewpoint, and no one present dissented. As soon as I received the minutes I had Coville71 contact the Foreign Office. He has just handed me the following memorandum: [Page 203]
“Sir Herbert Emerson has just called me by telephone this afternoon to discuss the matter raised by you of altering the minutes of the recent Executive Committee meeting by the insertion of the word ‘equally’ to read ‘with regard to finance, it was recommended that the member Governments should share equally the administrative expenses of the Committee, and members of the Executive Committee further agree to commend this to their own Governments’.
Sir Herbert states that he has discussed the question with Lord Winterton, who is of the definite opinion that he could not make this alteration without submitting the question to all the other representatives present, and feels that this could not be done without holding another meeting. Lord Winterton states that in putting the question he did not use the word ‘equally’, and that therefore the agreement which was expressed was agreement in the form as used in the minutes only.
Sir Herbert points out that the minutes in their present form, constituting a recommendation that the member Governments should share the administrative expenses, must inevitably bring up hereafter the question of the basis of sharing, and that the American Government will have full opportunity upon that occasion to pursue its proposal of equal sharing of the administrative expenses. This being so, he feels that the American point of view would lose nothing by leaving the minutes in their present form; whereas, if you press for insertion of the word ‘equally’ at the present time, the decision of the members of the Committee might well be against acceptance of this change.
Sir Herbert’s particular apprehension is that for this matter to be pressed now would inevitably cause delay and would hold back the communications to Governments, based on the action taken by the Executive Committee, which he has prepared and holds ready for intended sending tomorrow (August 10). He therefore asks that you accept the minutes as they are (recognizing that the basis of sharing is undetermined but recognizing also that sharing on a basis of equality must inevitably be given consideration hereafter) in order that the work growing out of the meeting may proceed without further waste of time.”
I would gladly call for a re-convening of the Committee, but if you feel, on the other hand, that it is not worth while, I believe that we are protected in the position we took.
Please advise me by cable tonight if possible.
- Cabot Coville, First Secretary of Embassy.↩