Moscow Embassy Files: 800 Rumania

The People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Molotov) to the American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)62

[Translation]

Dear Mr. Ambassador: In connection with your letter of February 26 concerning events in Rumania63 I wish to inform you that the Soviet Government considers it very important that order and tranquillity in Rumania, which is a rear of the Red Army, be secured. However, it must be said that the present Rumanian Government has proven itself to be incapable of securing order and tranquillity in the rear of the Red Army as it has proven itself incapable of honestly fulfilling the terms of the armistice agreement. This has caused serious concern and alarm to the Soviet Government. It is necessary that the Allied Control Commission should take measures to eliminate this impermissible situation and to bring about order in the country.

With respect to the questions touched upon in the above mentioned letter concerning consultation between us with respect to the situation in Rumania, I deem it necessary to state that on the part of the Allied Control Commission measures will of course be continued to [Page 485] be taken to inform the Allies of the situation in Rumania in accordance with the duties of the Allied Control Commission as foreseen by the armistice agreement with Rumania.

Please accept [etc.]

V. M. Molotov
  1. Ambassador Harriman transmitted a summary of this letter in his telegram 585, February 28, 4 p.m. (740.00119 Control (Rumania)/2–2845). Molotov’s letter to Ambassador Harriman followed to some extent the general line of Molotov’s reply to British Ambassador Clark Kerr’s note of February 24 on the Rumanian situation; the British note and the Soviet reply of the same date were reported in telegram 568, February 27, 10 p.m., from Moscow (140.00119 Control (Rumania)/2–2745).
  2. See footnote 52, p. 478.