398.18 ICEM/10–2954
The Secretary of State to the Director of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (Gibson)1
Dear Hugh: The Department’s reply to your letters2 on the appropriation rider is going forward to you.3 The rider forbids the payment of United States funds to assist directly in the movement of migrants to the Western Hemisphere who lack a security clearance based on reasonable standards.
Although the basic purpose of the limiting condition on the contribution is to insure against Communist infiltration in the Western Hemisphere, Congress did not intend to impose standards of selection on other governments. The requirement applies to movements assisted by United States funds. In the absence of reasonably effective clearances by the concerned governments, it appears that the Migration Committee will have to supply them to qualify for the full amount of the United States contribution.
I assume from your letters that the Migration Committee will proceed immediately to work out methods of securing the necessary clearances. I have asked the members of the U. S. Delegation to consult with you concerning these methods at the next session of the Committee in Geneva. The Department, however, has only a [Page 1655] limited area of discretion under the legislation and will of necessity have to determine whether the condition has been fulfilled when making payments on the contribution during 1955. Within the limitations imposed, the Department will assist you in every manner to enable the Committee to qualify for the full amount of the contribution.
Sincerely yours,