740.0011 European War/10–1844: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
1996. The Swedish Minister37 called to see me this afternoon to inform me as follows:
The Hungarian Minister38 called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs39 at noon today and informed him that he did not recognize the authority of the Szalasy government in Budapest but only that of Horthy and delivered to Saka a message which reads as follows in translation:
“Ankara, October 16. I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the Royal Hungarian Government according to an instruction signed by the Royal Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs,40 dated Oct. 15 and received today, has addressed a request to the Royal [Hungarian Legation?] to convey to the Government of the United States of America, Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the following message:
‘I have the honor to request Your Excellency to convey to your Government for the Governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and Northern [Page 915] Ireland and of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the following message:
“The Hungarian Government has decided to cease hostilities against the United Nations and requests the Governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to inform it where and when plenipotentiaries of the Hungarian Government may be received with a view to concluding a treaty of armistice. At the same time the High Command of the Hungarian Army has addressed itself to the High Command of the Soviet Army (to regulate?) the conditions under which the cessation of hostilities may take place.’
“On behalf of my Government I have the honor to beg Your Excellency to communicate the message above quoted to the representatives of the three great powers in question in Ankara.
Please accept, et cetera.”
Supplementing the foregoing Modig also handed me at the request of the Hungarian Minister an aide-mémoire which in translation reads as follows:
“Royal Hungarian Legation, Ankara, Oct. 18. The Royal Hungarian Government makes following requests of the Allied Powers: 1. That the occupation of Hungary by the Allied Powers be limited to places of strategic importance in the country; 2. that the countries adjoining Hungary, i.e., Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Slovakia, will not participate in the occupation of the country in order to avoid eventual friction; 3. that the administration of Hungary may continue under the Hungarian authorities; 4. that the Hungarian authorities called upon to assure security and public order may continue their duties, and 5. that an appropriate delay shall be given to the German troops to retire from Hungary.”
Repeated to Moscow.41