501.AC/5–348
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honor to report that as a result of a review of existing arrangements with the United Nations for the furnishing of information to the United States Government concerning alien members of the United Nations Secretariat and members of Delegations to the United Nations, an agreement has been reached with the Secretary-General of that organization for a revision of those arrangements. That agreement is in the form of an exchange of letters, dated respectively May 3 and August 16, 1948, between the Secretary-General of the United Nations and myself, and copies thereof are attached hereto.1
The functioning of the original arrangements since they were made in 1947 disclosed that certain changes were desirable in order to establish with increased efficiency and accuracy more complete lists of Secretariat and Delegation personnel. Accordingly, on May 3, 1948, I suggested to the Secretary-General that existing arrangements be reviewed, and pointed out the desirability of certain specific modifications. As a result of that letter, several meetings were held between representatives of the Mission and of the United Nations at which the technical, detailed questions involved in the suggested changes were discussed. At those meetings the United Nations officials displayed a willingness to cooperate fully and very readily agreed to the suggested revisions. The Secretary-General has confirmed the revised arrangements in the enclosed letter of August 16, 1948.
[Page 83]Pursuant to my request for a new, comprehensive and up-to-date compilation of information concerning alien United Nations Secretariat members, the Bureau of Personnel of the United Nations has agreed to furnish in September of this year as complete a list as possible of all alien Secretariat members and members of their families and their servants. This list will include information as to the title of the staff member and as to each person listed, his nationality, local address, passport number, and type of visa. In January 1949 a supplementary list of the same nature will be furnished by the Bureau of Personnel.
The revised arrangements further provide, as to alien members of the United Nations Secretariat, that the Bureau of Personnel of the United Nations will forward to the Mission, prior to the fifteenth of each month, five copies of lists of appointments and terminations which have occurred prior to the 25th of the preceding month. The lists of appointments will include, in addition to the name and title of post of each employee, the names of members of his family and of his servants who are with him in the United States and as to each person, his nationality, local address, passport number and type of visa. The lists of terminations will include, in addition to the name of each staff member involved, the date of termination, nationality, passport number, type of visa, local address, and a statement of the intentions of the staff member as to continued residence in or departure from the United States. With regard to continued residence in the United States, this statement of intentions will indicate that the staff member has made appropriate arrangements with immigration authorities. With regard to departure, the statement will indicate the scheduled date and port of departure, and the name of the steamship or air line being used. The United Nations representatives have been informed that the absence of a statement of intentions either as to continued residence in the United States or as to departure therefrom will be treated by the United States as evidence of an intent on the part of the staff member to violate the immigration laws.
It will be noted that the furnishing of departure information on a monthly basis represents a change from the previous procedure of furnishing such information every two weeks. This change was necessary to enable the United Nations Bureau of Personnel to supply additional information as agreed.
As to members of Delegations, the revised arrangements provide that, commencing after the next General Assembly session, all information regarding such members will come from one source in the United Nations Secretariat.
It has also been agreed that the Chief of Protocol of the United Nations will furnish to the Mission as soon as possible an up-to-date list [Page 84] of all members of permanent Delegations and members of their families and servants.
In order to supplement the information which is now received from the United Nations concerning members of Delegations entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities by virtue of Section 15 of Public Law 357—80th Congress, the Chief of Protocol of the United Nations will furnish monthly to the Mission, commencing after the next session of the General Assembly, five copies of lists indicating the appointment or termination of assignment of members of permanent Delegations other than those entitled to diplomatic privileges and immunities. These lists will contain, in addition to the name and title of such persons, the names of members of their families and household servants.
In the future, the Chief of Protocol of the United Ntaions will furnish to the mission lists of Delegation members who have come to the United States for single sessions of United Nations bodies. These lists will contain information similar to that furnished in the above-mentioned monthly lists of appointments and terminations of assignment of Delegation members, together with a statement of the sessions attended. Such lists will be furnished at monthly intervals commencing after the next session of the General Assembly.
It is anticipated that these improved arrangements will ensure that full information concerning alien members of the United Nations Secretariat and members of Delegations to the United Nations is made available to the United States Government in a regular and efficient manner.
Sincerely yours,
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