800.51 W 89 Czechoslovakia/30: Telegram
The Minister in Czechoslovakia ( Einstein ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9 p.m.]
15. Department’s 7 and 9.12 Note just received from Minister for Foreign Affairs encloses aide-mémoire containing following points. [Page 878] By Cabinet decision a special commission is to be constituted for following purposes:
- (1)
- To establish total debt to United States and amounts due for flour Siberian army and military supplies.
- (2)
- To alter the accounts kept by Ministries of Finance, Food and National Defense and coordinate them with those of the American Government.
- (3)
- By Cabinet decision the Commission will have the widest powers should occasion arise to take up negotiations for a general settlement of our debt to the United States.
- (4)
- This depends on the following conditions. The Czechoslovak Government notifies its intention to settle this question to the advantage of Allied Governments, especially France and Italy, toward whom it has similar obligations. It desires to know their point of view about Czechoslovak obligations to them, should a settlement be made with all.
- (5)
- In case of a general settlement of debts to the United States, Czechoslovak Government asks assurance of United States that in spite of present settlement it will participate in any advantages which might later be granted to other Allied states in connection with inter-Allied debts.
- (6)
- The Czechoslovak Commission composed of four members will have at its head the new Czechoslovak Minister to Washington, Mr. Chvalkovsky, and will be able to leave Prague toward the end of April.
Forwarding text by tomorrow’s pouch.
[Paraphrase.] I had previously been told by Dr. Beneš that France and Italy had not raised any objection, but subsequently he stated that although he had asked both neither had yet made reply. I do not believe that more can be obtained at present from the Czechoslovak Government. I respectfully suggest for the Department’s consideration the possible advisability of calling the attention of France and Italy to the fact that Czechoslovakia’s debt differs from theirs in that it was almost entirely contracted after the armistice. [End paraphrase.]
- Neither printed.↩