Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

864.50/9–1646

The Chief of the United States Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Hungary (Weems) to the Acting Chairman of the Allied Control Commission for Hungary (Sviridov)⁷⁴

Budapest, 11 September 1946.

My Dear General Sviridov: I have been instructed to communicate to you the views of the Government of the United States with regard to the procedure to be followed by the American Legation in Hungary in obtaining economic and financial information from the Hungarian Government. The views of the American Government in this regard are as stated below:

1. No valid basis is perceived by the Government of the United States for a requirement on the part of the Soviet Chairman of the Allied Control Commission that requests by the American Legation for economic and financial information from the Government of Hungary be handled through the Soviet Chairman of the Commission since no relevant provisions are contained in the Armistice Agreement and the procedure established in the statutes of the Allied Control Commission applies only to the United States Representative on the Commission.

2. Requests for information originating with the United States Representative on the Allied Control Commission may continue to be submitted through the Soviet Chairman in accordance with the statutes of the Commission but the United States Government considers that requests by the American Legation are in a different category and constitute a matter entirely between the Hungarian Government and the American Legation. The position of the Government of the United States in this respect is fully warranted by the existence of diplomatic relations between Hungary and the United States, as well as being in accordance with customary practices observed by all Governments maintaining such official relations.

3. Attention is invited to the fact that the Political Representatives of the United States in Rumania and Bulgaria enjoy free access to the officials of the Rumanian and Bulgarian Governments in obtaining information desired by the United States regarding economic and financial matters.⁷⁵

4. The views of the United States Government as set forth in the three numbered paragraphs above are also being transmitted by the American Legation to the Hungarian Government.⁷⁶ In the interest of reaching a common understanding among the American, Soviet and Hungarian authorities regarding this matter, the Government of the United States would appreciate prompt steps on the part of the Chairman of the Allied Control Commission to make it clear to the Hungarian Government that requests of the American Legation for information regarding economic and financial matters need not be made through the Allied Control Commission.

It is respectfully requested that you transmit the views of the United States Government to the Hungarian Government and that you be so kind to inform me fully in regard to the procedure which they will follow in the future.

With, assurance of my highest esteem, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Geo. H. Weems

Brigadier General, U.S. Army Chief, U.S. Representation

74. A copy of this letter was transmitted to the Department in despatch 1942, September 16, 1946, from Budapest, not printed. The letter was transmitted to General Sviridov in pursuance of instructions contained in telegram 924, September 9, to Budapest (864.51/8–3046).
75. In telegram 725, September 12, 1946, from Sofia, Rewinkel, in commenting upon this paragraph of the letter, observed that the Bulgarian Government had forbidden its officials and institutions to give information to foreign civilian and military officials without the prior order of the Allied Control Commission, in effect the Soviet authorities. Although protests had been made on this matter to the Soviet representatives on the Allied Control Commission for Bulgaria, no satisfaction had been obtained and the American mission in Bulgaria continued to encounter numerous cases of refusals and obstructions on the part of local Bulgarian officials in obtaining data. (874.00/9–1246) In telegram 952, September 14, to Budapest, Acting Secretary Clayton thereupon asked that this paragraph be omitted if the communication had not yet been sent to Sviridov (874.00/9–1246). It, of course, had already been sent.
76. A copy of the note of September 11 from the American Legation to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry was transmitted to the Department as enclosure 2 to despatch 1942, September 16, from Budapest, neither printed.