740.00119 Control (Rumania)/9–2344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:56 p.m.]
3643. The British Ambassador has sent a note to the Soviet Government saying that his Government cannot agree to the limitation of British representation on the Rumanian Control Commission to 5 members and pointing out that there was no limitation on Soviet representation on the Italian Commission understood to consist of about 11 persons and shortly to be augmented by 6.
Note states that Air Vice Marshal Stevenson will be head of British representation on Rumanian CC, accompanied by Le Rougetel, a Counselor in British Foreign Service, and small party of officers and other ranks.
Stevenson and party are expected to arrive in Bucharest tomorrow, September 24.
The Soviets are further advised that the British Government had originally expected to include in British representation to the CC a political representative but that since British Section of Control Commission is not to have direct communication with Rumanian [Page 240] authorities, it is now proposed that a separate British diplomatic representative shall be appointed with a suitable staff. The latter’s position is to be similar to that of Soviet diplomatic representative in Italy and he is to be independent of British representation of the CC. The British point out that the above is in accordance with Molotov’s agreement with Churchill of last April. British further note that the right of the diplomatic representative to establish direct relations with the Rumanian Government cannot be made subject to the sanction of the local CinC. In this they base themselves on the precedent established by the position of the Soviet diplomatic representative in Italy.
Finally the Soviet Government is put on notice that the British contemplate similar arrangements in the case of Finland if British representation on the CC there is subject to the same restrictions as in Rumania.