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  4. Document 402

871.00/4–2546: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Smith ) to the Secretary of State

restricted
urgent
Moscow , April 25, 1946—5 p.m.
[Received April 25—3:10 p.m.]

1344. Invitation to Soviet Govt to join with US and British Govts in three-power approach to Rumanian Govt was answered in letter from Lozovski68 on April 22. Text in translation juxtaposed order follows: [Page 590]

1.
In connection with your letter of April 20, concerning Rumania, I inform you as follows at the instruction of the MinFonAff, Molotov.
2.
The Soviet Govt cannot agree with the opinion of the Govt of the USA that the present Rumanian Govt, while trying to create the appearance of carrying out the assurances which it gave in connection with the decisions of the Conference of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Moscow in December, 1945, is in reality striving to circumvent the commitments which it has made. The information set forth in your letter concerning several cases of the short-term closing down of newspapers which had printed provocational attacks against Allied states, which cannot be tolerated under any conditions provides no foundation for the assertion that the freedom to express political opinions is limited in Rumania. Similarly, there is no basis for speaking of discrimination of a political character in Rumania in the distribution of newsprint.
3.
As regards freedom of assembly, here also there is no basis for the assertion that there has recently been an increase of political violence. The assertions that cases of the disruption of meetings by organized bands of hooligans bear evidence of official institution on the part of the Rumanian Govt, as is stated in the letter of April 20 are utterly groundless and apparently the result of dishonest and tendentious information from reactionary elements.
4.
I must say that the statement contained in your letter of April 20 that legal proceedings against persons charged as responsible for the demonstrations of November 8, 1945 have not thus far been halted does not correspond to fact, since according to report of the Allied Control Commission, no judicial proceedings against these persons have been, or are being, carried out.
5.
As regards preparations for the elections, the Allied Control Commission reports, on the basis of data at its disposal, that such preparations are being effected. At present time work is being completed on the drafting of an electoral law with a view towards the holding of elections in the very near future (v blizhaishee vremya), after the draft has been approved and the voters’ lists drawn up.
6.
In view of the circumstances set forth above, the Soviet Govt sees no ground for the three powers approaching the Rumanian Govt with the statement indicated in the letter of April 20.

Smith
  1. Solomon Abramovich Lozovsky, Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister.↩