Office of the Historian

840.48 Refugees/7–3144: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, July 31, 1944—7 p.m.
[Received July 31—5 p.m.]

6087. ReDeptel 5948, July 28, midnight. Response of Foreign Office to suggestion for joint action to assist departure Jews from Hungary and transit neutral countries is cordial. Foreign Office points out it recently instructed British Embassy, Washington, to advise Department of its readiness to cooperate in this connection. Instructions in the premises to British representatives in neutral countries will probably be repeated.

Foreign Office has received from British Legation, Bern, information similar to that contained in telegram under reference but with one exception. This is that Hungarian Government will re-commence deportations of Jews as soon as categories allowed to leave Hungary have all departed.

Foreign office doubts wisdom of requesting Turkish Government formally to declare its willingness to waive visa requirements for refugees entering Turkey. It believes that much is being accomplished in this direction by informal and unofficial leniency of Turkish authorities and frontier guards, that Turkish Government is unwilling to regularize this situation officially and that it might be disadvantageous to attempt to force it to do so.

With regard to issuance of additional Palestine certificates, Foreign Office states this question must be referred to Colonial Office. It adds that reluctance of Colonial Office to accede might be lessened if work were hastened in preparation of havens elsewhere for excess Jews admitted to Palestine. In this same connection Foreign Office states British Embassy, Washington, has been instructed to suggest to Department joint approach to Latin American Governments with aim of persuading them accept more refugees; also to Portugal in view of possibility Angola.

IGC found message under reference most encouraging and will report as soon as possible as to extent of funds available for maintenance, also transportation, of refugees reaching neutral countries from Hungary.

Winant