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

740.00119 Control (Rumania)/4–1245: Telegram

The American Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State

Bucharest, April 12, 1945—5 p.m.
[Received April 13—1:45 a.m.]

264. Reference is made to Department’s project to announce on March 30 resumption of postal and telegraphic communications with Rumania (reurtel 134, March 15, midnight⁵⁸); to Ambassador Harriman’s action in informing the Soviet Government that the US Government in the absence of any objection from the Soviets would announce the resumption of communications (Moscow’s 839, March 21⁵⁹); and to my reply to Department’s 154, March 22⁶⁰ to the effect that on March 28 the local Soviet authorities had received no instructions from Moscow on the subject.

After the Department made its announcement,⁶¹ reported in the Radio Bulletin, the Mission informed the Director of the Rumanian Post and Telegraph of the resumption of postal and telegraphic communications for informational and non-transactional messages. A copy of this letter, as a routine measure, was forwarded to General Schuyler and by General Schuyler to the Deputy Chairman of the ACC.

The Deputy Chairman, General Susaikov, under date of April 11 wrote General Schuyler

“The ACC at the present time considers premature the establishing of postal telegraph and radio communications between Rumania and other countries for information and private correspondence.

Instructions concerning the interdiction of such communications have been given to the Rumanian Minister of Communications.

I cannot understand why such an important and big question as the reestablishment of international communications was brought up by Mr. Berry before agencies of the Rumanian Government without the sanction of the Allied Control Commission.”

Similar letter was sent by General Susaikov to the local British authorities.

An instruction to General Susaikov such as Ambassador Harriman requested on March 21⁶² would be most useful, even at this late date, first, in getting communications started again and second, in restoring our lagging prestige with the Rumanians. As mentioned in my 236, April 2, noon,⁶³ it is in our interest that the Rumanians not be given many illustrations of our being pushed around by Soviet authorities.

Repeated to Moscow as 74.

Berry

58. Not printed; this telegram, which was sent to Moscow as 606 and repeated to Bucharest as 134, directed Ambassador Harriman to inform the Soviet Government of the desire of the American Government to announce the resumption of communications with Rumania and Bulgaria. The Ambassador’s communication to the Soviet Government was to be phrased in such a manner that it would constitute notification to the Soviet Government that in the absence of a reply by March 30, it would be assumed that the Soviet Government had no objection to the resumption of such communications and that control authorities in Sofia and Bucharest would give necessary cooperation. (740.00119 Control (Rumania)/3–745)
59. Not printed; it reported that the Soviet Government had been informed in accordance with the instructions contained in Department’s telegram 606, March 15 (740.00119 Control (Rumania)/3–2145).
60. Not printed.
61. For text of the Department’s announcement regarding communications facilities with Bulgaria and Rumania, released to the press on March 31, 1945, see Department of State Bulletin, April 1, 1945, p. 546.
62. Harriman’s communication to the Soviet Government regarding the resumption of communications between the United States and Rumania and Bulgaria, as reported in telegram 839, March 21, 2 p.m., from Moscow (see footnote 59, above) requested that appropriate instructions be issued to the Soviet representatives on the Control Commission in Rumania (740.00119 Control (Rumania)/3–2145).
63. Not printed; it reported that the Soviet authorities had refused authorization to the Diplomatic Corps bound for the liberated portion of Czechoslovakia to pass through Rumania and continued as follows: “It seems to me very important in view of our long-range objectives to maintain the prestige of our Government at a high level with the Rumanians and particularly during the present critical period when in the minds of most of them, hope is being replaced by disillusionment. I realize that in some matters where decisions must be made at the highest levels, such as the implementation of the Crimea Conference, little toward this can be accomplished directly by this Mission. However, in other matters which do not need to reach such a high level for a decision but where the approval of the Soviets is essential to the carrying through of the project, such as for example, the present subject or that of bringing ships into Constanza, it win strengthen our position if approval of the Soviets is secured before this Mission is instructed to take up the matter with the Rumanian authorities.” (860F.20 Mission/4–245)