840.48 Refugees/4450: Telegram
The Ambassador in Spain (Hayes) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 10—7:10 a.m.]
2463. Winant informed me in telegram September 3 that Department had approved an arrangement for selection in Spain of refugees to be sent to North Africa agreed upon at conference held in London between representatives of Foreign Office, OFRRO and Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees. He said committee would consist of representatives of American and British Embassies in Madrid, with Patrick Malin, Vice Director of Inter-Governmental Committee, and that I was to designate chairman. He said a memo of the understanding was being sent to me by airmail.
I am, of course, most sympathetic with efforts being made to assist stateless and former enemy refugees in Spain and am anxious to help in such efforts to the greatest possible extent.
The proposal to set up an inter-governmental selection committee in Spain is new to me and I have received no indication of the proposed status of such a committee vis-à-vis the Spanish Government or Spanish Red Cross and no indication that the subject has ever been discussed with either of these.
I assume, of course, that nothing will be done to carry out the arrangement until I have received the memo which is being sent and until I have had an opportunity to study it and to offer my suggestions.
Repeated to London, Algiers for Murphy and to Lisbon by mail.