Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume IV

860F.014/8–3045: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Czechoslovakia (Steinhardt)

Washington, September 29, 1945—5 p.m.

273. Text of Zecho note Aug 26 Urtel 278 Aug 30⁴⁵ and despatch 70 Aug 30⁴⁶ concerning treatment of Zecho population in disputed border areas has been forwarded to Warsaw for comment by Ambassador Lane.

Under present circumstances Dept can not go beyond reply to previous Zecho note Deptel 32 June 30. Any direct intervention by US in dispute between Poland and Zecho is not considered desirable. Dept prefers direct settlement by two countries if possible⁴⁷ and considers instructions Deptel 32 unchanged by Potsdam agreement. Since Polish control of area is temporary pending final decision on German frontiers, Dept considers that problem contained in Zecho note should be brought to attention of Council of Foreign Ministers⁴⁸ by Zecho Govt as a development which prejudices final settlement of frontiers as contemplated in Potsdam agreement.

Warsaw’s comments on Zecho note will be transmitted to you. In the meantime, if this question is brought to your attention again by FonOff, you are requested to state that it is your personal view that a direct settlement should be made.⁴⁹

Repeated to London as 8640; repeated to Warsaw as 150.

Acheson

45. Not printed; it transmitted a summary of the note of August 26 from the Czechoslovak Ministry for Foreign Affairs printed supra.
46. Not printed; this despatch transmitted as an enclosure the text of the Czechoslovak note of August 26, printed supra.
47. In his telegram 631, November 27, 11 a.m., the Ambassador in Czechoslovakia reported that Czechoslovak Prime Minister Fierlinger had told him that the Czechoslovak Government was about to accept a Polish proposal to discuss all outstanding questions between the two countries (760C.60F/11–2745).
48. For documentation regarding the first session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London, September 11–October 2, 1945, see vol. ii, pp. 99 ff. Czechoslovak frontier claims were not taken up by the Foreign Ministers.
49. In a note to Jan Masaryk, Czechoslovak Minister for Foreign Affairs, dated October 1, 1945, the Ambassador in Czechoslovakia repeated the substance of the Department’s instructions contained in this telegram (Praha Embassy File).