840.4016/4–1946: Telegram
The Ambassador in Czechoslovakia (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 20—2:27 p.m.]
593. Ripka, Min for Foreign Trade, in giving me a detailed account of his recent visit to Moscow,43 said that Stalin had told him that he had informed the Hungarian delegation which was recently in Moscow (1) that he could see no reason why Czecho, which had taken part in the fight against the Nazis, should cede “one foot” of territory to Hungary; (2) that without regard to the exchange of minorities already provided for Hungary should accept from Czecho the maximum possible number of Hungarians; (3) that the Hungarians who remained in Czecho should be “denationalized”.
In connection with his reference to “denationalization”, Stalin further stated to Ripka that he was opposed to special privileges for racial minorities within any state.
Sent Dept as 593; repeated American Legation Budapest as 26 and American Embassy Moscow as 9.