Office of the Historian

871.00/7–446: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Harriman)5

secret
us urgent
Washington, July 10, 1946—7 p.m.

5281. We presume Brit FonOff will have received info similar Bucharest’s 681, July 4 rptd as next following tel.

[Page 614]

Dept considers that, under Yalta and Moscow agreements as implemented by Rum Govt assurances to Bucharest Commission, we could if desirable request tripartite determination of constitutionality of proposed Rum electoral laws. However in light of realities of situation it appears that such an approach would undoubtedly be rendered abortive by Soviet refusal to participate and that more of substantive nature might be gained by local settlement among Rumanians in Bucharest and by King following course suggested Berry’s final para.

Accordingly Dept proposes authorizing Berry if King inquires to state our views informally along lines Berry proposes. We would, appreciate ascertaining FonOff views this regard.6

Sent London, rptd Paris for Secdel7 and Bucharest.

Acheson
  1. Mr. Harriman resigned as Ambassador to the Soviet Union in February 1946 and assumed his duties as Ambassador in the United Kingdom in April 1946.↩
  2. Telegram 6668, July 12, from London, reported that the British Foreign Office’s views coincided with those of the Department (871.00/7–1246). Telegram 453, July 13, to Bucharest, authorized Berry to state informally to the King, as the Department’s views, those proposed by Mr. Berry in the final paragraph of telegram 681, July 4, from Bucharest, p. 611.↩
  3. The Secretary of State was in Paris as chairman of the U.S. delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers, Second Session, Second Part.↩