Matthews Files
British Memorandum on Oil Equipment in Rumania 1
Oil Equipment in Roumania
His Majesty’s Government have been glad to note that the Soviet authorities have now agreed to stop removing equipment from the oil fields in Roumania in which British interests are involved and have also agreed that the Ruat plant should remain in situ. But if the large quantities of equipment which have already been removed are not to be returned, His Majesty’s Government considers that they must be regarded as deliveries on account of reparations, and arrangements made for compensating the oil companies. Similarly the Ruat plant should be restored to its previous condition and brought into production as soon as possible. As the Soviet Government have made no attempt to refute the argument advanced by His Majesty’s Government that any equipment which may be removed should be regarded as reparation and not as war booty, His Majesty’s Government can only refer the Soviet Government to the statement of the case which has already been made. It should also be pointed out that these difficulties would never have arisen if the Soviet representatives in Roumania had discussed problems affecting the Roumanian oil industry with their British and American colleagues on the Control Commission instead of taking unilateral action.
- This paper, an undated British carbon copy, was not attached to the Page minutes, nor do those minutes indicate that the subject was discussed at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on February 10, 1945. A note from Eden to Molotov, however (post, p. 965), states that this paper was circulated at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of February 10.↩