Early efforts for the creation of an international organization for refugees and the signing of the UN Convention for Refugees (1951)

1.01

MFA

4 June 1947

In his letter to the Embassy of Paris and in response to a letter from the President of the International Refugee Organization Preparatory Committee, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Konstantinos Tsaldaris, highlights the importance of this new Organization for Greece, considering the country’s history. However, he requests that an application be submitted for a reduction in the Greek contribution to the new Organization due to the country’s economic situation. This is a true copy of the original document, certified by the diplomat G. Seferiadis (Giorgos Seferis), whose signature appears on it.

1.02

MFA

16 June 1947

The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the possibility of Greece’s accession to the International Refugee Organization with a reduced contribution is being examined in collaboration with the UN General Secretariat, while the significance of the Organization for the country is reiterated.

1.03

MFA

26 August 1947

The Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, Ambassador Alexis Kyrou, reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the challenges in the effort to establish the International Refugee Organization, including the consideration of abandoning the relevant plan for the resettlement of over one million displaced persons.

1.04

MFA

30 August 1948

The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations transmits a Press Release from the United Nations Secretariat, declaring that the International Refugee Organization is now officially recognized as a UN specialized agency, following the ratification of its Charter by 15 states.

1.05

MFA

19 September 1948

The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations transmits a Press Release from the General Secretariat of the United Nations regarding the election of William Hallan Tuck, an American, as the Director-General of the International Refugee Organization. The transmittal is signed by the later Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vyron Theodoropoulos.

1.06

MFA

9 July 1949

The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations transmits a Press Release from the General Secretariat of the United Nations regarding the discussions within the International Refugee Organization (IRO) concerning its future and whether it should evolve into the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees. It is noted that the members of the IRO have not yet reached final decisions, while there is also a reference to the future of the International Tracing Service (today Arolsen Archives), which was initially under the purview of the IRO.

1.07

MFA

11 May 1950

Note from the UN General Secretariat and Draft Resolution of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) regarding the appointment of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the responsibilities and the operational framework of the Office. The ECOSOC's Draft Resolution encompasses a corresponding Draft Resolution from the General Assembly; however, the proposed High Commissioner's name is not specified. UN members are invited to share their views on the Draft.

1.08

MFA

13 May 1950

The Permanent Greek Delegation to the United Nations transmits to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a note from the General Secretariat of the Organization and a Draft Resolution of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), concerning the appointment of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the responsibilities and the operational framework of the Office.

1.09

MFA

12 September 1950

Through its Permanent Delegation to the United Nations, Greece announces its support to the Draft Resolution concerning the appointment of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the responsibilities and the operational framework of the Office.

1.10

MFA

13 December 1950

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides information to various entities, including the Greek Ministry of Public Order and the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare, on the definition of the term "refugee", as established by the Social Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. “A refugee is considered any person who as a result of events and owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion is outside the country of his nationalism [sic] and is unable, or owing to such fear or for reasons other than personal convenience is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country”.

1.11

UNHCR

14 December 1950

Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly adopted on the basis of reports from the Third Committee. It encompasses the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, outlines the responsibilities and the procedure governing the election of the High Commissioner, their headquarters, as well as administrative and financial matters. The excerpt also mentions that "In accordance with the terms of the above Statute, the General Assembly at its 325th plenary meeting on 14 December 1950, on the nomination of the Secretary-General, elected by secret ballot Mr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart (Netherlands) to the office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”.

1.12

MFA

23 April 1951

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Permanent Greek Delegation to the UN about Greece's participation in the UN Conference on the Refugee Convention. The designated representative for this role is the Greek Ambassador in Bern, Philon Philon.

1.13

UNHCR

2 July   1951

Excerpt from the minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons. The Acting President welcomes the participants (representatives of states, UN specialized organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, G.J. Van Heuven-Goedhart). Right after, the Danish delegate, Knud Larsen, is elected as Conference President and Albert Herment and Talat Miras are elected as Vice-Presidents. The following year, Knud Larsen became the first Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Athens.

1.14 (Photo)

UNHCR

The Vice-President of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees, Albert Herment, from Belgium.

1.15

UNHCR

25 July 1951

First and last page of the closing speech by the President of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons, Knud Larsen, in which he thanks the participants to the Conference for the conclusion of the Refugee Convention, as well as the UN staff for the assistance provided during the Conference's proceedings.

1.16

MFA

28 July 1951

The cover of the Final Act and of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, as published by the UN in 1951.

1.17

MFA

17 March 1952

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives instructions and authorizes the Permanent Representative to the United Nations to sign the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and sends the respective authorisation.

1.18

MFA

3 August 1951

The first and the last two pages of the report by the Greek Representative at the Conference on the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in Geneva, concerning the proceedings of the Conference. The draft Convention is thoroughly analyzed and assessed, both article by article and as a whole.

1.19

UNHCR

24 April 1952

Press Release from the Athens Branch Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, announcing that Greece has become the sixteenth country to sign the International Convention on Refugees. The Convention was signed by the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, Ambassador Alexis Kyrou.

1.20

MFA

6 May 1952

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Directorate of Repatriation of the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare that the Permanent Representative to the UN signed on behalf of Greece the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees on 10 April 1952, and submitted an explanatory statement.

1.21

UNHCR

26 April 1952

A Press Release from the Greek Prime Minister's Office announcing Greece's signature of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The Press Release also references the other countries that had already signed the Convention up to that point.

1.22

UNHCR

Excerpt from the first pages and signature pages of the Final Act and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, in which the name of the Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, Alexis Kyrou, who signed the Convention, and the additional explanatory statement, appear.

1.23 (Photo)

UNHCR

The Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations (1947-1954), Ambassador Alexis Kyrou.

1.24

MFA

9 February 1954

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs the Directorate of Repatriation of the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare that the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees will come into force on 22 April 1954.

1.25

UNHCR

22 April 1954

The Convention on the Status of Refugees came into effect on 22 April 1954, ninety days after the sixth country deposited its ratification of the Convention. (Australia deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention on 22 January 1954, and thus the Convention came into effect on 22 April). In his statement on that day, the High Commissioner emphasized that the Convention officially became part of international law, codifying the rights of refugees, extending them even further into the social and economic fields.

1.26

UNHCR

6 April 1960

A United Nations Press Release announcing that Greece has become the 24th country to ratify the Convention on the Status of Refugees. The instrument of ratification was deposited by Greece's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Chr. Xanthopoulos-Palamas, and a small ceremony took place.