740.62114/2–547: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
515. Department’s 322, January 24, 7 p. m.1 I have been told informally by both Foreign Office and International Red Cross that latter does not feel it can accept the French proposal to participate in the option between repatriation and voluntary labor in France to be offered to German prisoners of war.
Foreign Ministry stated that representatives of various interested French governmental agencies are meeting today and tomorrow and an important meeting of the Cabinet will occur the day after tomorrow to consider proposing an alternative solution to US Government. Foreign Office said in confidence that French are considering proposing to US that the UNRRA, Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, or even perhaps official American representatives replace International Red Cross in supervising the reaction to such possibilities.
Insofar as the meeting of French-American technical experts is concerned Foreign Office hopes to be able to arrange first meeting in Paris during next week so that repatriation program can commence.
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