740.00119 Control (Rumania)/10–644: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 7—7:37 a.m.]
3822. I have given careful consideration to the Department’s 2365, October 5, 8 p.m., and I am writing today to the Foreign Office to set forth our desire for modification of point 6 (G) although I am quite sure that the Soviet position set forth to the British as described in my 3751, October 1, 8 p.m., would apply equally to ourselves.
I see nothing to be gained however by asking the Soviet Government whether our political representation should be included in the Control Commission or should be a separate and independent establishment. The statement made by Molotov to which the Department refers was a general comment made in the course of preliminary discussions. Upon being subsequently pressed by the British the Soviets have firmly stated that they will not consent to the British representative on the CC or his deputy having the right to direct communication with Rumanian authorities but that they do not object to the appointment of a separate British political representative. They could not now agree to any other arrangement for us without reversing the whole position they have taken after protracted negotiations with respect to the British and without revising the statutes they have drawn up for the CC. I see no reason to think that they would consent to do this.
Although I recognize that our interest in Rumania from a military standpoint may no longer be great, I feel that the prestige of the United States is involved in the early appearance of American representatives in Bucharest. Even though the main military action against Rumania came from the Soviet side, the Rumanians surrendered to the three principal Allies and the representatives of the new government made it clear to me during the armistice negotiations that they were counting on reasonable interest on the part of the United [Page 249] States in the future of Rumania. If we now address the Soviet Government posing questions on which they have already taken a firm and definite stand we merely cause further and I am certain unproductive delay.
I earnestly hope that the Department will now agree to accept the formula worked out between the Soviets and the British under which it would appear that the four basic factors listed in the Department’s telegram can best be realized. Our political representative will have freedom of contact with the Rumanian Government adequately to protect American interests and obtain information on developments in Rumania. At best as a member of the CC he would not have anything like as much freedom. If the Department agrees, all that would then be required would be to inform the Soviet Government at once of the names of our representatives on the CC and of the appointment of Berry as American Political Representative. Meanwhile Berry should be given orders to proceed at once to Bucharest. The Russians will not be interested in whether or not we consider Berry to be the ranking official of our representation there as long as he is not formally assigned to the CC.