840.48 Refugees/8–1844: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Representatives 61
Radio bulletin of August 17 contains the joint declaration of the British and United States Governments in response to the offer of the Hungarian Government to permit the emigration of certain categories of Jews from Hungary. As you have done with previous press releases on refugee matters, kindly secure the widest possible distribution for this declaration. The original offer of the Government [Page 1128] of Hungary was made public in Switzerland by the Intercross on July 18 as follows:
“Following steps taken in Budapest by ICRC in Geneva. Hungarian authorities have given the committee official assurances that transportation of Jews beyond Hungarian frontiers has ceased and that the ICRC are authorized to furnish relief of Jews who are interned or in forced residence in Hungary. The committee are furthermore empowered to cooperate in the evacuation of all Jewish children under ten years of age who are in possession of visas to reception countries and all Jews in Hungary holding entrance visas to Palestine will receive permission from the authorities to leave for that country.”
- Sent to Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey; and to the U.S. Political Adviser, Allied Force Headquarters at Caserta, Italy.↩