84. Editorial Note

On July 31, 1969, Czechoslovak President Ludvik Svoboda accepted the credentials of the new United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, Malcolm Toon, at the Hradcany Palace in Prague. Svoboda engaged Toon in conversation by recounting his visit to the United States as a young man and underlining his “fervent interest in maintaining the peace.”

Svoboda then turned to the Czechoslovak gold claims issue (see Document 83). According to Toonʼs memorandum of conversation, “Svoboda wished me to inform President Nixon of his own deep concern that the gold problem had not been resolved. As I was aware the [Page 216] gold which is now in the custody of the United States and other Western powers had been stolen from the Czechs by the Nazis during World War Two and was the rightful property of Czechoslovakia and should be returned. Svoboda knew of no single action that would do more to improve bilateral relations between Czechoslovakia and the United States and facilitate my own mission in Czechoslovakia than a decision to return the gold. As I was aware, next year would mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Czechoslovakia from the Nazi yoke, and the President felt it would be a very appropriate gesture indeed if my government would find it possible to return the gold before the anniversary.”

Toon responded: “With regard to the Presidentʼs [Svobodaʼs] remarks concerning the gold problem, I could assure Svoboda that President Nixon was aware of the importance the Czechoslovaks attach to the return of the gold. I was hopeful that this problem could be resolved within the fairly near future and the President could be certain that I would do everything in my power to bring this about, taking into account the legitimate concerns, aspirations and objectives of all parties concerned. As Svoboda was aware, we had been prepared last summer to present to the Czechoslovaks a proposal which we felt was a reasonable one and which offered in our view a real chance for resolving the gold as well as the claims problem. Unfortunately for all concerned, on the very eve of the day when we had planned to present this proposal to the Czechoslovak Ambassador in Washington, certain events took place in Central Europe which made the move inappropriate. We had recently revived consideration of our proposal, and we hoped soon to be able to move.” (Memorandum of conversation, July 31; National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 672, Country Files—Europe, Czechoslovakia, Vol. I Jan 69–31 Jan 70)