501.BB Palestine/7–2649: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Legation in Switzerland
Unpal 208. For USDel Lausanne. As soon as you consider desirable in order support current negotiations, you are authorized take steps to establish Econ Survey Mission. When decision made, pls notify Dept and inform your colleagues of Dept’s view that PCC shld activate economic survey mission near future pursuant para 12 of Dec 11 res in order meet urgent need for carefully formulated program prior GA action autumn session. Dept believes terms of ref this Mission shld be based on foregoing res with special ref para 11 thereof, which establishes principles of repatriation and compensation for refugee property, and instructs PCC facilitate specific tasks of repatriation, resettlement, econ and social rehabilitation, and payment of compensation. Within foregoing context, Mission shld be charged with objectives set forth Unpal 119, May 27, numbered para 1.
[Page 1258]In Dept opinion, designation as mission, in which all members would be clearly responsible to chairman, wld greatly expedite completion survey and insure coordinated action. We also believe members of mission shld not serve as reps their respective govts1 but as members international organ under auspices PCC.
Re composition, Dept believes Unpal 113, May 23 shld be modified in order include French deputy as well as UK deputy, in light France’s traditional interests NE and stated desire participate actively in refugee program. In addition to chairman and deputies, mission wld include such technical personnel as required to carry out survey, selected by chairman on multinational basis and on basis their special qualifications, in consultation with interested govts and appropriate international organizations, and subject to final approval of PCC. Dept hopes Turk Govt wld be prepared make qualified personnel available on request chairman.
Dept hopes US national to serve as chairman can be chosen within few days. As soon as you consider appropriate, pls ask Boisanger obtain views FonOff re proposed French deputy and express hope French Govt will look into question availability outstanding French candidate this post.
As soon as Dept informs you re nomination of American rep, PCC cld then proceed make formal request that SYG announce establishment of survey mission and purpose thereof. White House announcement wld be made concurrently. At same time PCC members shld make formal approach to all NE govts, requesting their cooperation with mission.
Repeated to Amembassies Paris and Ankara for discussion with FonOffs upon authorization from you.2
- In an explanatory note to London, the Department, on July 26, stated that “While individual members of mission wld of course advise their respective govts of proceedings of mission, Dept does not consider it feasible for members of mission to serve as reps of their respective govts. Latter wld not only raise difficult administrative and financial problems, but might make acceptability of mission to govts of NE even more difficult to overcome.” (telegram 2617, 501.BB Palestine/7–2649)↩
- This telegram was repeated to
Paris and Ankara with an additional note that Unpal 113 and 119 were being
repeated to them separately. It was also repeated to London
without the additional note.
The Department, on August 4, informed London that in conversations with British Embassy officials, it had “emphasized necessity maintaining international status of econ survey mission in order to place matter in UN context and to avoid impression that direct responsibility is being assumed by US or GB or any other state. We have pointed out that USG, which wld probably make major financial contribution to any program established, must insist upon keeping UN between itself and refugee problems (telegram 2770, 501.BB Palestine/8–449)
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