740.00119 European War 1939/2631: Telegram
The Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 26—9:05 a.m.]
Yugos 105. My Yugos 104, May 1, 1 p.m. Maniu’s second emissary has now arrived and a conference was held at Prince Stirbei’s apartment today, attended by all the delegates. Stirbei read a prepared memorandum and Visoianu supplied comment. According to their statements, Antonescu is, whether willingly or not, completely under German control, and there are now too many German troops in the country for a coup d’état by Maniu to be possible. However, Maniu, in concert with the democratic parties, is still decided to disassociate Rumania from the Axis, and being assured of the help of General [Page 179] Nicolescu and “several other generals” disposing of “one or two army corps”, and having obtained the consent of the King, he is willing to make the attempt by staging a movement on the front itself, though not in the interior of the country. This would be difficult, as the Rumanian units are sandwiched between German formations in the line, but Maniu thinks that if the Allies should give directives as to what exactly to do, and where and when, it might be feasible and prove effective. The emissaries added that Maniu desired also to make some observations in regard to the armistice terms, but these were not listened to at this conference, the Soviet Ambassador saying, with the concurrence of the other delegates, that it is now for the Rumanians to act. He also drew the attention of the emissaries to the fact that failure to act during the time which has elapsed since the presentation of the terms has resulted in the help which Rumania can give being a great deal less than was envisaged.
After discussion, it was decided that Maniu should be advised through Cretzeanu to send an emissary through the lines to the Russians to arrange with them the time and place of Rumanian military action to be taken in accord with the Russian forces, and that this message should be drawn up by Stirbei in collaboration with Novikov, Lord Moyne telling the latter that the initiative in these negotiations is now in his hands. In this connection, Lord Moyne informed me yesterday that he had been instructed to advise Novikov in this sense, because of the annoyance caused his Government by continued Russian suspicion of British secret operations in Rumania. (See my 18, May [4,] 10 [a.m.]67.) He was also instructed not to press the matter of Maniu’s transferring himself to Russian-held Rumanian territory, since the Foreign Office has never liked this plan though it was willing to accept it because the Russians were interested. This question, however, did not come up at today’s conference. In passing “the initiative” to Novikov, Lord Moyne promised him willing assistance in such matters as communications, should he desire them.
Repeated to Algiers.
- Airgram not printed.↩