640.0031 Danube/78
Memorandum by the Under Secretary of State (Castle) of a Conversation With the Polish Ambassador (Filipowicz)
The Polish Ambassador asked what we thought of the scheme for a Danubian Confederation and I told him that we were very sympathetic in that we felt agreements and understandings between these five countries might well lead toward the improvement of economic conditions in that part of the world, that we should be entirely sympathetic unless special concessions were given to specific larger countries. The Ambassador said that his country was in a rather difficult position, that before the War Polish trade had been east and west, that now there were barriers against trade with Russia and against trade with Germany, that Polish trade now tended to go north toward Finland and the Scandinavian countries and south to the Danubian countries, that it would be most unfortunate for Poland if the southern exits were closed. I told him that I saw no reason why this should happen and that it was obvious that increased prosperity in the Danubian countries would result in stimulating trade with all outside nations, Poland included.