840.48 Refugees/4898: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
8124. We are of the opinion that any authoritative interpretation of the mandate (referring to your 8943, December 24) must emanate from the Executive Committee. We are further of the opinion, on the question of whether the mandate authorizes indirect or direct negotiations with Germany by the Committee, that the interpretation must be as stated in our 8071 of December 22 “that the mandate does not preclude indirect or direct negotiations by the Committee with any Government when and wherever such negotiations may become necessary and promise success for the rescue of persecuted persons”. This interpretation is supported by the record at Bermuda and further, by the fact that the original mandate at Evian authorized the Director to negotiate with Germany and such negotiations were actually undertaken and the revised mandate does not cancel the authority therefor.
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