Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Eastern Europe, Volume XXV

238. National Security Council Report¹

NSC 5706/2

Washington, March 8, 1957.

STATEMENT OF U.S. POLICY ON . . . ESCAPEES AND REFUGEES FROM COMMUNIST AREAS

A. Definitions

2. Refugees and Escapees.²

a. Refugees. A refugee is a national or former national of a Communist-dominated country, who has fled from and/or is unwilling to return to such country, does not possess another citizenship, has not been integrated into the economy of the country of present residence, and is not a defector.

b. Escapees. An escapee is a refugee who is a national (1) of a European satellite (except ethnic Germans) or Yugoslavia who has escaped since January 1, 1948, or (2) of the USSR irrespective of the date of his escape, or (3) of Communist China or the Asian satellites, on a very selective basis.

B. Policy Guidance

General

3. Asylum. The United States has always recognized and should take all feasible action to support the principle of asylum for those fleeing from persecution, including opposition to their involuntary repatriation. To this end, the United States should support and extend its own and international programs to assist Free World countries in maintaining liberal policies of asylum and in developing effective facilities and procedures therefor. The countries of asylum should be encouraged either to prevent Communist repatriation teams from operating in their territories or to prevent such teams from intimidating those who have sought asylum.

4. General U.S. Interest. Beyond supporting the rights of asylum and freedom from persecution for those fleeing from Communist oppression, the Free World countries, including the United States, should endeavor to secure the rapid establishment of such people as self-sufficient residents of free countries, meanwhile providing interim provision against want, as a practical application of Free World humanitarian principles.

5. Specific U.S. Interest. Quite apart from humanitarian considerations, U.S. assistance to persons who have fled Communist-dominated areas contributes to the achievement of specific U.S. national security objectives both toward Communist-dominated areas and the Free World. Such assistance demonstrates U.S. concern for the captive peoples of Eastern Europe and sustains the defector program. The nature of the U.S. interest is affected by the former nationality, circumstances, numbers and relation to U.S. objectives of the individuals concerned. Accordingly, differing U.S. programs and policies are required as set forth below.

Escapees–Refugees

General

8. The United States should take no action to encourage the departure of large numbers of nationals from countries in the Sino-Soviet orbit (other than the USSR) because:

a. Sino-Soviet control over such countries can be more effectively weakened by continuing disaffection of nationals within those countries than by mass departure of nationals therefrom.

b. Serious problems would arise as the results of the departure of larger numbers of nationals than could be successfully resettled in the Free World.

Assistance to Escapees-Refugees: in Asylum Countries, by Resettlement, and by Admission to the United States

9. Consistent with U.S. policy as to asylum and U.S. general and specific interest in nationals fleeing Communist oppression:³

a. The United States should encourage countries of asylum and other countries of the Free World to maximum efforts in arranging either for the progressive integration of escapees in the country of asylum or their prompt resettlement in a country other than the United States.

b. The United States should continue, and if possible intensify, efforts to reduce the dependent refugee population, with principal emphasis in the first instance upon measures to promote assistance policies on the part of countries of asylum. The need for efforts to develop new measures has been intensified by the increased burdens upon asylum countries incident to the recent Hungarian mass exodus.

c. Supplementing the efforts of other Free World countries, the United States should be prepared to provide, for a period not to exceed three years from entry into the country of first asylum (with allowance for exceptions to cover individuals or small groups of special importance to the United States, and with gradual implementation to avoid undue hardship in the case of persons now receiving U.S. assistance):

(1) Interim material assistance to USSR and Soviet bloc escapees and refugees in countries of temporary asylum; and

(2) Interim aid in permanently resettling escapees and refugees as rapidly as possible, either in countries of initial asylum or elsewhere in the Free World.

Resources available through other U.S. programs should so far as feasible be used to meet the needs of defectors, escapees. and refugees, thus reducing the need for additional dollar appropriations.

d. While encouraging other free nations to do their utmost to provide permanent resettlement for escapees and refugees, the United States, in recognition of such countries’ limited ability to assimilate large numbers, should be prepared in the future to admit to the United States escapees and refugees in such numbers as have been recommended by the President to the Congress, subject to security screening in conformity with applicable statutes.⁴ In order to enable the United States to be ready fairly to share in meeting future emergencies similar to the Hungarian mass exodus, the President should have flexible authority under the law to deal with any such emergencies.

Utilization of Intergovernmental, Foreign Governmental and U.S. and Foreign Private Agencies, etc.

10. Continue as appropriate to utilize and support the facilities and programs of existing intergovernmental, foreign governmental, and U.S. and foreign private agencies in order to assist refugees and escapees.

11. The United States should continue the current Soviet orbit enlistment program of the Labor Service Units in Germany and recruitment under the Alien Enlistment Program (Lodge Act).⁵

Special Problems

12.⁶ Toward precluding the involuntary repatriation of Yugoslav national escapees, the United States should provide a limited form of assistance which reflects the extent of U.S. interest in this group in relation to other escapees. This assistance should take into special account the willingness and capacities of the asylum countries bordering on Yugoslavia to make the maximum contribution of their own to this purpose, as well as the availability of assistance from international agencies and private groups.

13. The United States should continue to assist satellite escapees who are within Yugoslavia and desire to leave, to resettle elsewhere in the Free World.

14. The United States should continue to further general U.S. policy objectives by providing assistance and resettlement at approximately current levels and on a selective basis, to limited numbers of Chinese who have fled from Communist China directly to territories other than that of the Republic of China.

15. The United States should continue its efforts, and seek to persuade other Free World countries, to combat the Sino-Soviet bloc repatriation campaign. Every individual has the right voluntarily to return to his home, but the United States should continue its own efforts, and seek to persuade other Free World countries, to take reasonable measures (a) to assure adequacy of treatment by countries of asylum and of resettlement, and (b) to prevent repatriation by coercion or false representation.

16. The existing situation in countries of asylum overseas for Hungarian escapees presents a unique problem of great magnitude which, if not promptly dealt with, could have long-range and costly consequences to the Free World. The United States to date has played a significant role in assisting Hungarian escapees. For these reasons, in carrying out paragraph 9, the United States should emphasize action during Calendar Year 1957 (1) to encourage countries of asylum overseas to make maximum efforts to care for, integrate, or resettle Hungarian escapees, and (2) to supplement such efforts with U.S. interim material assistance and interim aid, to the end that such escapees receive adequate care in countries of asylum on a substantially equal basis within each such country, and reasonable opportunity for early permanent resettlement.

Psychological Exploitation

17. The United States should restrict its psychological exploitation of defectors and escapees, by radio or otherwise, to specific cases where a net advantage can be expected. In each case, due consideration should be given both to the possible adverse propaganda effects of possible subsequent redefection or return. . . .

18. The United States should continue to adhere to its policy of not publicizing its assistance to Yugoslav escapees.

19. During a mass exodus, U.S. controlled media should not encourage persons to flight. Favorable aspects of treatment of escapees in Free World countries should not be so emphasized to the country from which flight proceeds as to increase the exodus—to the net detriment of U.S. interests; but the facts may be given concerning U.S. participation with other Free World countries in humanitarian assistance in countries of immediate asylum. Where appropriate and feasible emphasis should be placed on U.S. assistance to the population which remains in the homeland, rather than on aid given to escapees.

Executive Branch Organizational Arrangements

20. Outside the United States the defector program should be administered in accordance with NSCID No. 13. The exploitation of defectors (and other aliens) within the United States should be administered in accordance with NSCID No. 14.⁷

1. Source: Department of State, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351, NSC 5706 Series. Secret. In a covering note to the NSC, dated March 8, Lay summarized the action taken by the NSC at its 315th meeting on March 6. (Memorandum of discussion by Gleason; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records) Lay indicated that “The President has this date approved the statement of policy in NSC 5706/1, as amended and adopted by the Council and enclosed herewith as NSC 5706/2; directs its implementation by all appropriate Executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Government; assigns primary responsibility for taking leadership in the implementation to the Department of State; and designates the Operations Coordinating Board as the coordinating agency, provided that security screening procedures for escapees and refugees seeking admission to the United States shall be coordinated through the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security.” NSC 5706/2 superseded NSC 86/1. The Financial Appendix and Annex are not printed.
2. In a draft of legislation submitted by the Administration to the Congress, a different definition of these terms has been suggested with regard to immigration. [Footnote in the source text.]
3. Yugoslav and Communist Chinese escapees and refugees are dealt with as exceptions to this policy. See paragraphs 12, 13, and 14. For East German and North Korean escapees and refugees, raising different quantitative and qualitative problems, see the respective NSC country papers. [Footnote in the source text.]
4. See Annex for outline of existing and proposed statutory provisions and of Executive screening procedures under existing statutes. [Footnote in the source text.]
5. Alien Enlistment Act, approved on June 30, 1950, Public Law 597. (64 Stat. 316)

6. In September 1957, paragraph 12 was revised by the NSC to read as follows, including the footnote:

   “Toward precluding the involuntary repatriation of Yugoslav national political escapees, the United States should provide a limited form of assistance at approximately the current rate which reflects the extent of U.S. interest in this group in relation to other escapees.*

   This assistance should take into special account the willingness and capacities of the asylum countries bordering on Yugoslavia to make the maximum contribution of their own to this purpose, as well as the availability of assistance from international agencies and private groups.

   “The United States should take no action to encourage escape of Yugoslav nationals. Policies governing assistance to escapees and refugees contained in paragraph 9 above are pertinent as applicable to assistance granted Yugoslav escapees.

   *“The limitation under para. 12 (‘at approximately the current rate’) may be interpreted to authorize expenditures of up to $1.55 million during Calendar Year 1957, pending a more detailed study of the rate and motivation of the exodus of Yugoslav nationals and report thereon to the Council prior to December 1, 1957. Increased funds above the previously estimated expenditures of $1.2 million for Calendar Year 1957 should be additional to funds for USEP programs for other than Yugoslav nationals.” (Memorandum of discussion by Gleason, September 12; Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)

7. Regarding NSCIDs 13 and 14, see footnote 2, Document 54.