740.00119 Council/9–746: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 5 p.m.]
4479. Delsec 908. Prime Minister Nagy in conversation with the Secretary describes the difficulties of his own political situation which he said had become more critical as result of unfavorable developments regarding the peace treaty in Paris.73 He said Hungary apparently had not gained much by holding a free election last November compared to lack of sympathy with Hungary in Paris and more favored positions of Bulgaria and Rumania which still had not as yet held free elections. He pointed out he was one of few Peasant leaders left in Europe leading fight against eastern interpretation of democracy and then elaborated on Soviet pressures on Hungary as well as Communist domination of neighboring states.
Secretary pointed out Hungary unlike other satellites had advantage of being a sovereign state and had more independence. Moreover, she was neither demanding reparations or territories in any Balkan peace treaty. He greatly sympathized with Hungary’s problem and hoped to hear of progress made to overcome economic difficulties [Page 333] and further developments towards attainment of political freedoms.
In this and other conversations Prime Minister has had in Paris, it is evident he is extremely pessimistic. Szegedy-Maszak told us this morning Nagy had returned to Budapest intending to resign should Czechoslovakia succeed in putting across its territorial and expulsion amendment. He told members of his delegation that western democracies were apparently either unable or unwilling to oppose Soviet policies in eastern Europe. Hungarians naturally despondent over acceptance in Hungarian and Rumanian territorial commissions of nullification of Vienna award returning all Transylvania to Rumania.
Sent Dept 4479, repeated Budapest 117.
- For Prime Minister Nagy’s account of his sudden trip to Paris and his conversation with the Secretary of State, see Nagy, The Struggle Behind the Iron Curtain, pp. 272–273.↩