Paris Peace Conf. 181.9202/11: Telegram
General Bandholtz to the Commission to Negotiate Peace
[Received August 15—12:30 a.m.]
4. General Graziani, the French representative of the Interallied Military Mission, arrived on the evening of the 12th and was present at the session this date.10 He evidently expected the chairmanship of the Commission to go by seniority and so stated. He was informed of the arrangement made by the other three members of the Commission for rotation in chairmen and acquiesced with a reservation that it would be necessary to notify his Government as the French authorities undoubtedly expected the chairmanship to go by seniority. M. Diamandi, the Roumanian High Commissioner, and General Mardarescu, with General Holban, called upon the Commission in the morning session and explained the arrangement they had made for alleviation all [of?] the food situation in Budapest. Captain Gregory of the Food Administration was called in while these gentlemen were present and explained to them what he was prepared to do under favorable conditions. In the afternoon M. Diamandi asked for a private interview with the undersigned which took place during the afternoon and during which he stated that he regretted that there had been any misunderstanding whatever on the day preceding and added in effect that his Government was prepared to accept as final the instructions given the Military Commission by the Supreme Council.11 His attention at the time was called to some excesses committed by Roumanians against Armenians [Americans] and he promised to have adequate measures taken for reparation and punishment. The Commission had an afternoon session during which the undersigned [Page 639] requested that M. Diamandi be asked to appear before the Commission and repeat officially the remarks he had made during the personal conference but he could not be found and has therefore been asked to see the Commission tomorrow morning. The Italian, British, and American representatives are in complete accord and there is general harmony.
- Presumably reference is to session of August 13.↩
- For text of instructions, see appendix B to HD–24, vol. vii, p. 542.↩