Editorial Note

On August 1 the United States Legations in Sofia, Budapest, and Bucharest delivered notes to the Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Romanian Governments asking those governments to join in the naming of commissions, under the peace treaty procedure, in order to reach a settlement of the disputes over the violation of the human rights clauses of the treaties. The notes observed that despite the invitation of May 31 (see the editorial note, page 247) the Soviet Union had refused to authorize its ambassadors in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania to join in a consideration of the human rights dispute as provided for in the peace treaties. For the text of the note to the Hungarian Government, which was substantially the same as those delivered to the Bulgarian and Romanian Governments, together with a Department of State explanatory statement issued to the press on August 1, see Department of State Bulletin, August 15, 1949, page 238.

The United Kingdom representatives delivered parallel notes to the Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Romanian Governments on August 1.

Replies to Legation notes of August 1 were received from the Bulgarian Government on September 1, from the Hungarian Government on August 26, and from the Romanian Government on September 2. In their replies the three Balkan Governments refused to cooperate in establishing treaty commissions, and they continued to deny that they had violated the human rights clauses of the peace treaties. In a statement issued at his press and radio news conference of September 14, Secretary of State Acheson announced receipt of the negative replies. The Secretary stated that the attitude of the three governments again called into question their good faith and provided “further illustration of their callous disregard of clear international obligations.” For the text of the Secretary’s statement, see ibid., September 26, 1949, page 456. The texts of the Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Romanian notes were included as annexes 27, 26, and 28, respectively, to UN Doc. A/985/Res. 1 (see the editorial note, page 266).