871.00/9–445: Telegram
The American Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 5—7:24 a.m.]
641. Mytel 636, September 3.86 It was publicly announced today that Rumanian official delegation left for Moscow accompanied by General Susaikov of ACC (Allied Control Commission) and Soviet Ambassador Kavtaradze.87 Socialist Education Minister Voitec was included, allegedly on his own initiative and without a formal decision being made by his party, although it is stated he has been requested to be merely an observer and to refrain from seeking other than purely cultural statements or agreements in Moscow.
Above announcement combined with today’s Govt communiqué (mytel 639 of September 488) is having a depressing local effect in that public feels some definite unilateral Soviet action will be made in Moscow in conjunction with the Groza region [regime?] It is even said that Soviet Govt is deliberately making continuance of Groza govt a prestige question and this is interpreted locally as an open rebuff to the American request that all three Powers refrain from individual political action that might compromise tripartite discussions upon Rumania’s future govt.
Since returning to Bucharest I have followed literally the Dept’s instruction to avoid contact with Rumanian political leaders (reDeptel 457, August 25, 4 p.m.) while at same time Russian officials obviously have received no instruction to interrupt their daily audiences with Rumanian political leaders whose parties are represented in Groza govt. This Mission’s reserved attitude has resulted in a dampening of the spirits of the democratic leaders whereas the Soviet officials’ heartening attitude has encouraged the arrogance and willful misrepresentations of NDF (National Democratic Front) leaders. I fear that the continuance of our present tactics will assist in bringing about [Page 606] the defeat of the policies to which the American Govt has publicly adhered. I suggest therefore that the ban placed upon this Mission’s activities be removed and that from the United States we give encouragement to the Rumanian people and leaders by more press and radio publicity on Rumanian situation and by beaming some of this publicity to Rumanian listeners. Repeated Moscow as 199 and London as 13.
- Not printed: it reported that Rumanian Foreign Minister Tatarescu had addressed a letter to Soviet Ambassador Kavtaradze apprising him of Prime Minister Groza’s desire to visit Moscow to consult with Molotov on Rumanian matters before the Soviet Foreign Commissar departed for the Council of Foreign Ministers’ session in London (871.00/9–345).↩
- Soviet Deputy People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Ivanovich Kavtaradze, was named Soviet Minister to Rumania on August 12, 1945. Kavtaradze, who arrived in Bucharest on August 22, was to retain his previous rank of Ambassador.↩
- Not printed; it transmitted a digest of a communiqué from Prime Minister Groza of what purported to be the unanimous conclusion of the Rumanian Council of Ministers of August 24; the communiqué reaffirmed the democratic nature and mass backing of the Groza government, reviewed the accomplishments of the regime since it took power, and reemphasized the intentions of the regime to resist efforts to overthrow it (871.00/9–445).↩