701.60P11/2–2549

Memorandum by the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Hickerson) to the Secretary of State 1

Subject: Acceptance of Latvian Chargé d’Affaires

Discussion:

The Latvian Minister, Dr. Alfred Bilmanis, who had represented the independent Latvian Government in Washington for approximately 13 years, died on July 28, 1948.

This Government has refused to recognize the incorporation of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) into the Soviet Union and has continued to accord recognition to the duly-accredited representatives of the former independent Baltic Governments, although such Governments do not exist at the present time. The Latvian Government, just prior to the invasion of Latvia by the U.S.S.R. in 1940, issued extraordinary powers to its Minister in London, Mr. Charles Zarine, by which he was delegated to carry out certain political and administrative functions normally executed by the Chief of State and the Cabinet of Ministers. The Department has interpreted these powers as giving to Mr. Zarine the authority to appoint a successor to Dr. Bilmanis. The Department has informed Minister Zarine that it has no objections in principle to the appointment by him of a [Page 279] successor to Dr. Bilmanis but that the official rank of such an appointee should be limited to that of Chargé d’Affaires.

Mr. Zarine agreed to this interpretation and, under date of November 2, 1948, submitted the name of Mr. Julijs Feldmans, a senior Latvian career diplomat as his choice for the post.

The Department’s consideration of this appointment has been complicated and delayed by objections raised thereto by Mr. Anatol Dinbergs who, since Dr. Bilmanis’ death, has served as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the Latvian Legation. Mr. Dinbergs has presented himself as the logical successor to Dr. Bilmanis and has questioned Minister Zarine’s authority to appoint a successor. Although the Department recognizes Mr. Zarine’s authority in this respect, we have suggested informally to Minister Zarine and to Mr. Dinbergs that this difference of opinion on what is regarded primarily as an internal Latvian matter, be resolved between them. However, since there appears to be little possibility of agreement between Minister Zarine and Mr. Dinbergs, it is felt that the Department should now take action on Mr. Zarine’s proposal of November 2, 1948.2

Recommendation:

Since the Department recognizes Minister Zarine’s authority to appoint a successor to Dr. Bilmanis, such successor to have the rank of Chargé d’Affaires, and since no useful purpose appears to be served by further delaying action, it is recommended that the Department accept Minister Zarine’s appointee, Mr. Julijs Feldmans.3

J[ohn] D. H[ickerson]
  1. This memorandum was concurred in by the Office of Protocol and the Legal Adviser’s Office. The source text bears the handwritten endorsement: “OK D[ean] R[usk] [Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs]”.
  2. For previous documentation on the question of acceptance of a successor to the late Latvian Minister Bilmanis, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. iv, pp. 396 ff.
  3. Acting on instructions contained in telegram 911, March 17, to London, not printed, the Embassy in London on March 21 informed the Latvian Minister in London that the appointment of Feldmans as Chargé at Washington was acceptable to the United States Government. Feldmans arrived in the United States on May 10 and was received by the Secretary of State on June 28 (see Woodward’s memorandum of conversation, June 28, p. 293.