540.48 Refugees/4852: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 9—11:59 p.m.]
8553. We followed out the instructions contained in Department’s 7486, November 26, 10 p.m.,63 in a letter to the Foreign Office dated November 30 and have now received from the Foreign Office the following letter dated December 8:
“Thank you for your letter of 30th November about the proposed camp for refugees at Fedhala.
We have asked our Ambassador at Madrid and also our Resident Minister at Algiers to concert with their United States colleagues in arranging for the transfer and reception of the refugees.
Sir Samuel Hoare informs us that he is supporting the approach to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs by asking for permission to evacuate the refugees from Malaga. Since the next convoy of French refugees are to leave on December 15, it will not be possible for the ‘stateless’ refugees to leave at least until December 25. We feel, however, that this delay may have the advantage that more time will be given for preparations to be made in North Africa.
Both our Embassies feel that, in view of possible German reactions, publicity would be undesirable before the transfer is over and that any public announcement should, therefore, be postponed for at least 3 weeks.”
We are not yet repeating this message to either Madrid or Algiers feeling that the Department may have its own instructions in the matter.