361.1115/4–1748
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith)
No. 122
Sir: Reference is made to your despatch No. 355 dated April 17, 19481 suggesting that the repatriation of Soviet citizens living in the U.S. Zone of Germany be placed on an exchange basis for American citizens held in the Soviet Union.
The Department appreciates your desire to bring about the repatriation of American citizens held in the Soviet Union and has given sympathetic consideration to the suggestions presented in your despatch. However, for the reasons outlined in the two following paragraphs, it is believed that there should be no change at the present time in this Government’s repatriation policy for non-criminal displaced persons and that forcible repatriation should not at any time be imposed upon any one.
It is believed that the placing of voluntary repatriation on an exchange basis except as indicated below might be open to question as a departure from this Government’s policy of facilitating the voluntary repatriation of displaced persons, and as giving support to unfounded charges by the Soviet Government that the United States is preventing the repatriation of Soviet citizens who desire to return to the Soviet Union. It is the opinion of the Department, however, that, until it is determined whether a reciprocal exchange can be achieved on the limited basis indicated below, it is not necessary or desirable to formulate ‘a definitive conclusion on the question of whether the voluntary repatriation of non-criminal displaced persons should be placed on an exchange basis.
It is believed that the forced repatriation of any category of displaced persons would be an undesirable departure from the present repatriation policy of this Government. In this connection your attention is called to the fact that the United States Immigration officials [Page 907] do not deport either criminal or non-criminal persons to countries where they would be subject to political persecution.
The Department has given favorable consideration to your suggestion regarding an exchange of criminal displaced persons of Soviet citizenship who volunteer to return to the Soviet Union for American citizens held in the Soviet Union. It is believed that the Soviet Government would be more disposed to give favorable consideration to such a proposal if it is confined initially to American citizens with no claim to Soviet citizenship. If success is achieved with regard to American citizens for whom the Soviet Government has no citizenship claim, it would then be open to this Government to submit proposals regarding dual nationals, provided a decision to this effect were reached.
The Department agrees with you that in the light of past experience it can be assumed that there is little chance that persons repatriated to the Soviet Union would be able to leave and thus be in a position illegally to reenter the U. S. zone.
Baltic States displaced persons who are criminals may be included in this proposal since it is believed that this voluntary repatriation exchange would not prejudice the United States Government’s policy with regard to the nonrecognition of the incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union.2
It is requested that you take this matter up with the U. S. Political Adviser at Berlin3 with a view to reaching an agreement with General Lucius Clay4 with respect to the categories of criminals to be covered by the proposal, the methods of putting the proposal into effect and where the exchanges should take place, due consideration being given to whether it would be more desirable to arrange the exchanges in a place of U.S.-Soviet zonal contact such as Helmstedt instead of Berlin.
In the event that it is decided that the proper approach to the Soviet authorities would be through formal diplomatic channels rather than by arrangement with Soviet Repatriation Officers, you are requested to make appropriate representations to the Soviet Government with a view to arranging for the exchange of criminal displaced persons volunteering for repatriation to the Soviet Union for American citizens held in the Soviet Union.
Since the foregoing recommendations do not involve any basic change of policy with regard to the question of volunteer repatriation, the Department has not considered it necessary to take up the matter with the Department of the Army. Should you proceed on the basis [Page 908] of these recommendations and should General Clay consider it necessary to refer the matter to the Department of the Army, the Department of State will support this position with that Deparment.
Your views with regard to the Department’s recommendations would be appreciated.
Very truly yours,
[Counselor of the Department of State]