Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

740.0011 EW (Peace)/4–1047: Telegram

The Minister in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State

secret   priority

Budapest, April 10, 1947—6 p. m.

593. Second meeting Soviet¹ and British Ministers² and myself to discuss functions three Chiefs of Mission under peace treaty (my telegram 533, March 28³) held today in Legation. Acouoset [At outset?] Soviet Minister set forth his views as to these functions which included under Article 39 of Hungarian treaty the right to supervise and observe fulfillment treaty by Hungarians although no specific obligation set forth therein, and under Article 40 as he said the unanimous decision of unresolved disputes between parties to the treaty. Pushkin stated in his opinion questions could come before three Chiefs of Mission only in following cases:

1. An unresolved dispute between signatories to treaty

2. In question of nonfulfillment of treaty provisions raised by one of three Chiefs of Mission and

3. Request by Hungarian Government for interpretation of treaty provisions.

Pushkin stated in his view foregoing indicated no necessity for any sort of permanent organization, that meetings would be necessary only as long [apparent omission] demanded and that observation of treaty is responsibility to be exercised separately by each Chief of Mission.

In response to questions by myself and Helm as to how under foregoing Pushkin envisaged actual functioning of three Chiefs of Mission regarding such matters as communications with Hungarian Government, etc., Pushkin stated these were unimportant “procedural questions” which need not be discussed until ratification of treaty and which he felt could then be easily resolved provided organizational questions were agreed upon.

It was Pushkin’s view that there was clear disagreement among us as to “organizational questions” or “questions of principle” and that these matters must therefore be referred to respective governments for decision and that in addition respective governments, in view of common features of pertinent treaty provisions in other ex-satellite treaties, should resolve such questions and evolve unified plan for functioning of all Chiefs of Missions under treaties.

Although both Helm and I rejected necessity of referring these questions as such to our governments since treaty seemed to be explicit as to powers of Chiefs of Mission and hence as to their organizational functions it was agreed that in view of clear disagreement on organizational questions matter should be so referred. Accordingly no further meeting was arranged.

Sent Department, repeated Moscow as 63, London as 60, Sofia as 5, Bucharest as 10 and Rome as 13.

Schoenfeld

1. Georgi Maksimovich Pushkin.
2. British Political Representative Alexander Knox Helm held the personal rank of Minister.
3. At the suggestion of Minister Schoenfeld, Pushkin, Helm and he had held a first preliminary meeting at the American Legation on March 27. This meeting was reported upon briefly in the telegram under reference, not printed (740.0011 EW (Peace)/3–2847).