Office of the Historian

740.00119 Council/5–446: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State

secret
Paris, May 4, 1946—11 p.m.
[Received May 5—6:55 a.m.]

2150. Delsec 461. From the Secretary. Hungarian Finance Minister Gordon called on Matthews98 yesterday and emphasized points [Page 295] brought out in Embassy’s telegram 1981, April 25.99 He considers that both economically and politically it is vital to his country to obtain some immediate financial relief to the extent of some 10 million dollars. He would be glad to proceed to Washington to discuss question with Ex-Im Bank if there seems to be a reasonable likelihood that such a credit could be forthcoming. He was told that we would telegraph Dept immediately and endeavor to obtain a reply by next Wednesday. We believe that extension of such a credit might prove helpful at present juncture. Please telegraph urgently whether Ex-Im Bank would be in a position to discuss question of immediate 10 million dollar credit with Gordon should he proceed to Washington.

Sent Dept; repeated Budapest as 48, Moscow as 160.

[
Byrnes
]
  1. H. Freeman Matthews, Director of the Office of European Affairs; Political Adviser, United States delegation at the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Paris, April 25–May 15, 1946.↩
  2. Not printed, but see footnote 94, p. 293.↩