Moscow Embassy Files: 800 Rumania
The American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Molotov)27
Excellency: In accordance with instructions received from the Secretary of State, I have the honor to request, in the name of the United States Government, the agreement of the Soviet Government to immediate consultations between the three principal Allies with a view to determining how best to discharge with respect to Rumania the joint responsibilities of the three powers set forth in the Crimea Declaration on Liberated Europe.
My Government feels strongly that recent events in Rumania, concerning which it was at no time consulted or kept adequately informed by the Soviet Government, make it essential that representatives of the three Governments should meet and examine together the issues involved, with a view to arriving at genuinely concerted policies and procedures in assisting the Rumanians to solve their pressing political [Page 513] problems and to assuring their progress toward the “establishment through free elections of governments responsible to the will of the people”.
I may say in this connection that American opinion is watchful of the responsibilities of the United States Government with respect to the former Axis satellite states, as set forth in the Crimea Declaration.
It is the view of my Government that the consultations looking to the formulation of policies and procedures to be employed in implementing the Crimea decisions with respect to Rumania might well take place in the first instance in Moscow, between you, the British Ambassador and myself. We would propose, for example, as a second step that when such policies and procedures have been agreed upon a tripartite committee be established in Bucharest to ensure their proper application. This committee, as envisaged by my Government, would be composed of three political representatives, to be designated for this purpose by the three governments, respectively.
I wish accordingly to propose that tripartite conversations, along the lines indicated, be initiated in this city without delay, and I should appreciate receiving an early indication of the view of the Soviet Government with respect to this proposal.
My Government considers this matter an urgent one and hopes that action along the lines described above may be initiated without delay.
A similar proposal is being made to the British Government.
Accept [etc.]
- Under separate cover, Ambassador Harriman addressed the following letter, dated March 14, to Foreign Commissar Molotov: “Your two letters to me of March 4 and March 7 concerning the situation in Rumania have now been given careful consideration by my Government, and I feel that I should ten you that they have not served to reassure my Government with respect to the problems in question. I have accordingly been instructed to address to you my Government’s request for consultations on the measures necessary to enable us to discharge, with respect to Rumania, our joint responsibilities as set forth in the Crimea Declaration. This formal request is going forward under separate cover and I hope that it will receive the immediate attention of the Soviet Government.” (Moscow Embassy Files: 800 Rumania)↩