840.48 Refugees/11–745: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
9765. Kindly transmit following message from Under Secretary Acheson to Minister Noel Baker.10
[Page 1205]Dept has recently transmitted a message to Fonoff11 concerning present administrative policies of IGC which exclude from benefits all refugees except those who are stateless or lack the protection of a govt. In this connection your govt has recently expressed concern regarding the possibility of duplication of work of UNRRA and the IGC and has taken the position that it will not approve projects of relief proposed by IGC unless it is clearly shown that the beneficiaries are not repatriable.
As a result of administrative and other policies which have developed, substantial numbers of refugees who fall within terms of reference of IGC as adopted in 1943 are now without relief in areas in which IGC is operating. Funds made available to the IGC for operational expenditures by the two Govts are not being used to full advantage at a time when the need for such relief is approaching its peak this year and next. This situation jeopardizes the possibility of securing additional funds for IGC in the future and tends to discredit the organization as effective agency in dealing with this problem. In fact proposals are received that a new agency needs to be created.
It is the understanding of this Govt that no action has been taken by the Executive or Plenary Committees of IGC to date limiting the terms of reference of the Committee adopted in 1943. The work of UNRRA and the IGC is divided for the immediate period on geographical lines. UNRRA is functioning in Germany, Austria, and Italy and IGC in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. Refugees now excluded from benefits of IGC relief, particularly those who possess nationality, are not in receipt of relief from their govts or from their countries of residence. They are in effect the same categories of refugees which the Br and US Govts voted at the meeting of the UNRRA Council last August that UNRRA should assist for a period of 6 months.
It is difficult to defend the extension of relief to these refugees in Germany and Austria through UNRRA and the withholding of relief to the same categories of refugees who happen to be found in Western European and neutral countries. To extend relief to them pending their repatriability, settlement where they are, or elsewhere does not in the judgment of the US Govt constitute a decision as to their ultimate repatriability. It is admitted that relief may tend to encourage delay in repatriation and even to increase the numbers who hesitate to return but this is an inevitable problem of all relief administration whether under UNRRA or the IGC. The fact remains that most of these refugees now excluded from IGC benefits cannot at the moment return to their countries of origin for lack of transport or organization of repatriation. The withholding of relief consequently does not seem justified on these grounds.
[Page 1206]This Govt feels strongly that these limiting policies should be reviewed immediately in order that existing needs of refugees be met more adequately. It is my understanding that Gilpatric and Warren discussed this matter with you in August in London, and I am quite willing to extend these conversations at any time or in any way that meets your convenience. I hope however that, pending such further review of the problem between the two Govts, you will take into account the views expressed above in considering IGC operations for the coming winter.