840.48 Refugees/4827: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 2—2:10 p.m.]
8405. Below is quoted a letter dated November 29 from the Foreign Office signed by Randall concerning maintenance of Dodecanesian refugees. Department will note that the question is raised of referring [Page 381] the matter to the Intergovernmental Committee. In that connection the Director informally tells us that he sees no obstacle thereto in the Greek or Greco-Italian character of the refugees nor in the non-membership of Greece; that the IGC would be ready for the responsibility; but that all should understand that an organization would have to be built up including a field office probably at Cairo. Department may wish to consider possibility of Cairo office in relation with the five offices recently suggested. Embassy has informed Foreign Office that letter is being forwarded to Department and instructions are being requested. Text of November 29 letter follows:
“A problem has arisen in regard to the maintenance of Dodecanesian refugees mainly of Greek origin and including women and children, brought by the military authorities to the Middle East. These people are, of course, Italian subjects and while the British Government, in view of the urgency of the problem, have assumed initial financial responsibility for them, we have asked Mr. Macmillan to notify the Italian Government that they will have to refund any necessary expenditure. We do not know if the Italian Government are prepared to accept this charge or will attempt to dispute it, but obviously we must feel sceptical about their ability to pay.
We should be grateful to know whether your Government would be prepared to share the cost of maintenance of these refugees with the British Government on a 50/50 basis. Or would they favour the question being put up to the Intergovernmental Committee? I have mentioned the question privately to Sir Herbert Emerson. The procedure of approaching the Committee would raise delicate issues because the Greeks, who have not yet joined the Committee, would have to be consulted before this particular class of refugee could be accepted under the Committee’s mandate and on the whole we feel it would make for simplicity if the United States Government could see their way to agree to share the cost of maintenance and also to help with supplies.
Our Minister of State in Cairo reports that clothing, with which these refugees will have to be furnished, cannot be provided from local resources. In view of the demands for clothing for refugees in Italy which so far cannot be met, I doubt if Algiers could provide any. I also think it practically certain that the Board of Trade would confirm that there are no supplies of new clothing to be procured from this country. We are, however, asking them about this. If these two sources fail, I can only suggest that the American Red Cross might be asked if they can increase the supplies which they are already generously giving, or the Middle East Supply Centre might be requested to procure clothing for this special purpose.
I should be very grateful for your views on this problem, which has come upon us unexpectedly and is a serious addition to the heavy responsibilities in transport, accommodation and supplies which we have been carrying for the last 18 months over the clearance of the Polish refugees from Persia. I should add that estimates of the numbers which will eventually be involved are about 20,000; the Middle East Refugee and Rehabilitation Administration in Cairo is assuming responsibility for housing in its area of operation, but supplies [Page 382] and maintenance generally would appear to be beyond their present resources. Hence this letter, which I should be glad to supplement with a talk if you wish it.”