A. —5.

111. " The Assembly— " Is happy to note that Governments have in certain cases been able to extend to refugees in their territories more liberal treatment than is provided for in the relevant international agreements, and having heard, with appreciation, the declaration made by the French delegation regarding recent measures adopted by the French Government in respect of refugees (legal status, joint committees, labour permits) ; " Expresses the hope that all Governments will adopt as liberal an attitude as possible towards refugees in their territories ; " Notes, on the other hand, that serious difficulties have been created by the practice adopted in certain countries of withdrawing protection from their nationals abroad ; and " Expresses the earnest hope that this practice may be discontinued." IV. " The Assembly makes the following proposals in respect of the Nansen International Office and the High Commission for Refugees coming from Germany — " Nansen International Office— " The Assembly — " Has taken note of the previous decision of the Assembly that the Nansen Office should be liquidated within a specified time and according to fixed budgetary rules, and, in execution of this decision, — " (1) Proposes that a President of the governing body of the Nansen Office should be appointed by the present Assembly until 31st December, 1938, with the following duties — " (a) To carry on the administration of the Office, in accordance with the existing statute, until it has been liquidated, and to organize the activities of the Office during the period of liquidation, with the help of the technical services of the League of Nations ; " (b) To draw up at an early date and, if possible, to submit to the Council at its next May session a detailed scheme for the liquidation of the Nansen Office ; in any event, the report should be in the hands of Governments before 31st July, 1937, in order that the scheme may be considered at the next ordinary session of the Assembly ; " (c) To make recommendations in time for consideration by the Assembly at its ordianry session in 1938 on the best method of allocating the tasks undertaken by the Office up to the date of its liquidation in the light of the situation existing at that time ; " (2) Notes the Recommendations of the Acting-President in regard to the settlement of different categories of refugees, especially those relating to the transfer of Armenian refugees to Erivan and to the position of the Armenian refugees settled in Syria. " Approves, while accepting the reservations made by the Fourth Committee, an additional grant of 200,000 Swiss francs to the Nansen International Office for the purpose of facilitating the transfer and settlement in South America of Saar refugees residing in France. " (3) Recommends that the following proposals of the Acting-President should be brought to the notice of Governments for careful consideration— " (a) The encouragement, so far as circumstances permit, of the naturalization and absorption of refugees in countries in which they have been resident for many years ; " (b) The issue of surcharged postage-stamps to assist the Nansen Office in its work ; " (c) The general application of the principles of the Franco-Belgian Agreement of 30th June, 1928 ; " Refugees coming from Germany (Jewish and other) — " The Assembly recommends that a High Commissioner should be appointed until 31st December, 1938, for the purpose of liquidating, so far as possible, the problem of refugees coming from Germany, and that the High Commissioner's duties should include, in particular, the following— " (1) As regards the improvement of the legal status of refugees, to approach Governments in order to obtain their accession to the Provisional Arrangement of 4th July, 1936, and to prepare an inter-governmental Conference for the adoption of an international convention on the status of these refugees ; " (2) As regards questions of emigration and final settlement, to encourage initiative on the part of private organizations ; to support such initiative by negotiations with the Governments of the countries of refuge ; and, if necessary, to have definite plans for colonization and emigration studied on the spot, in agreement with the Government concerned ; " (3) To maintain contact with the various private organizations, in particular through the Liaison Committee of an international character which has already been set up ; " (4) To submit an interim report to the Assembly at its next ordinary session and, at its session of 1938, to present a report on the situation of the refugees at that moment and on the progress made towards the final solution of the problem, and definite proposals in regard to the future.

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