740.00119 Control (Hungary)/8–2845: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
1918. Section XI of Potsdam Protocol provided that a letter which Voroshilov had sent to Gen Key on July 12 containing certain modifications in the ACC procedure for Hungary during the second period of the Armistice would be accepted as a basis for revision of the ACC statutes in the three ex-satellite countries. Dept telegraphed the American Missions in those countries the text of this Govt’s proposed revision of statutes as well as the full text of Section XI of the Protocol.
On Aug 14 Voroshilov directed a note to Gen Key in which he said in translation:
“The Berlin Conference brought a decision about the question concerning the revision of the procedure of the ACC’s in Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary according to which the statute of the ACC for Hungary was accepted as basis for ACC’s in those countries. In connection with this I have the honor to submit to you the new statute of ACC in Hungary.”
At Aug 22 meeting of the ACC in Budapest Voroshilov indicated that as the ACC statutes set forth in his letter of Aug 14 had been agreed upon at Potsdam they were not subject to further discussion. Similar statutes were presented to ACC’s in Rumania and Bulgaria.
It is this Govt’s view that Voroshilov’s letter of July 12 was to be used only as the basis for revision leading to agreement on definitive statutes, and that logical place for such discussion was ACC’s in the three countries. We felt that his proposals met our previous major objections to ACC procedure and offered an eminently satisfactory basis for working out locally certain details and modifications which we felt would facilitate the work of our representatives on the ACC and place it on a truly tripartite basis. Dept feels that Voroshilov’s [Page 860] action in refusing to discuss any changes is not in accord with the arrangements made on this matter at Potsdam.
In bringing our views to the attention of the Soviet authorities you may either request that since an impasse appears to have been reached in Budapest the negotiations be concluded by you and the appropriate Soviet authorities in Moscow or, if you believe it desirable, that Voroshilov and Soviet Reps in Rumania and Bulgaria be instructed as soon as possible to endeavor to reach agreement with American and Brit Reps on revision of ACC procedure on basis of Potsdam agreement which we believe clearly contemplates negotiation of new statutes. For your assistance should Soviet Govt wish to carry on negotiations at Moscow Dept is forwarding by separate tel49 text of proposed statutes based on Gen Key’s suggestions (Dept’s instr no. 659 June 2150) and approved by State, War and Navy.
Sent Moscow; rptd Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia.51
- Telegram 1919, August 28, 4 p.m. to Moscow, not printed, transmitted the text of the proposed Statutes of the Allied Control Commission in Hungary, printed on p. 842.↩
- Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. i, p. 374.↩
- Repeated to Budapest as telegram 357, to Bucharest as telegram 461, and to Sofia as telegram 280.↩