740.0011 EW (Peace)/5–949: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

secret

1658. Dept preparing to cable Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia in near future texts notes to Hung, Rum, Bulg Govts re violation human rights and ltrs to respective Sov and Brit Heads of Mission respective capitals invoking disputes Art Peace Treaties.

Notes to satellite Govts follow general lines Brit draft Embtel 1803 May 9.1 Our notes have additional sentence stating that accusations against US contained in replies to notes of Apr 2 are demonstrably false and irrelevant to matter at hand.

Ltrs to Sov Heads of Mission substantially same as in Deptel 1516 May 4,2 on which we have not yet received Brit comments.

Dept sees no reason why separate disputes of US and UK with respective Balkan Govts shld not be merged even before commission stage suggested by FonOff (urtel 1803 May 9). We propose adding to ltrs of US reps to Sov colleagues fol para:

“It is my understanding that BritMin is sending you today communication similar to my present ltr, calling attention to existence of dispute between UK and Bulg (Rum, Hung) concerning Bulg’s non-compliance [Page 247] with Art 2 Peace Treaty, and invoking procedures laid down in Art 36. I shld like to suggest, for purposes of convenience, that these two disputes be considered together by the three Heads of Mission.”

We shld like to know Brit views on this suggestion and possible date for delivery these notes and ltrs. Having already publicly announced intention to take next step, we consider long delay unwise.3

Acheson
  1. Not printed, but see footnote 4 to telegram 1651, April 29, from London, p. 243.
  2. Not printed, but see footnote 3 to telegram 1651, April 29, from London, ibid .
  3. Telegram 1904, May 16, from London, not printed, reported that the British Foreign Office agreed with substance of the procedures proposed by the Department of State (740.0011 EW (Peace)/5–1649). Telegram 1971, May 19, from London, not printed, reported that British Foreign Secretary Bevin agreed to proceed without delay with the next steps in the peace treaty implementation procedure (740.0011 EW (Peace)/5–1949). Telegram 2014, May 23, from London, not printed, reported that Foreign Office proposed that the notes to the Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Romanian Governments and the letters to the Soviet heads of mission be delivered in Sofia, Budapest, and Bucharest on May 31. The Foreign Office also stated that Canada, Australia, and New Zealand wished to be associated in the new action (740.0011 EW (Peace)/5–2349).