Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Rumania)/7–1745

No. 797
The Acting Representative in Rumania (Melbourne) to the Secretary of State
secret
No. 410
Bucharest, July 17, 1945.

Subject: Revised Administrative Procedure for the Allied Control Commission in Rumania.

Sir: I have the honor to attach an English translation of a copy of a letter delivered on July 16th to General Schuyler, heading the American representation on the ACC, from the Deputy Chairman of the ACC, Colonel General Susaicov, which announces revisions in the administrative procedure for the ACC in Rumania. In content it appears that the phrasing of these six points is like that announced for the ACCs in Bulgaria1 and Hungary.2

Both General Schuyler and I agree, after an examination of the points, that virtually every difficulty encountered by the American representation upon the ACC since its beginnings to date could have occurred during that time with the six points in force, if, as has been the case until now, goodwill on the part of the Soviet Executive of the ACC was lacking.

It might be pointed out that repeated promises have been made by the Soviet Executive to hold a conference at least every ten days or two weeks, but when the occasion was deemed unsuitable for such a conference by the Russians, in order to avoid discussion that might be embarrassing, they did not hesitate to postpone it indefinitely. Also the irony of the situation, as set forth in points 2 and 3 of the attached letter, apparently escaped General Susaicov when, at the very time he handed the attached note to General Schuyler, he announced that unilaterally the Russians on the ACC were going to demand of the Rumanian government all nominally German-owned bank stocks in the country, as well as continuing with the unilateral demands upon Rumania for all nominally German-owned oil stocks.

Points 4, 5, and 6, are considered as being virtually no concessions, since point 4, that of freedom of travel, is practically the existing situation; point 5 is almost unnecessary since the present composition [Page 691] of the American and British delegations is considered ample; while point 6 simply describes the existing situation for the receipt and shipment of mail, cargo, and the dispatch of couriers.

Respectfully yours,

Roy M. Melbourne
[Enclosure—Translation]
The Deputy Chairman of the Allied Control Commission for Rumania (Susaikov) to the Chief of the Military Representation on the Allied Control Commission for Rumania (Schuyler)3
No. SH–1363
Bucharest, 16 July 1945.

In view of the changed situation resulting from the cessation of hostilities with Germany, the Soviet Government considers it necessary to establish the following working procedure for the Allied Control Commission in Rumania:

1. The Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of the Allied Control Commission will regularly call conferences with the British and American Representatives for discussion of the more important questions concerning the activities of the Allied Control Commission.

A conference will be held every ten days, and, whenever the need arises, more frequently.

2. Directives of the Allied Control Commission on questions of principle will be issued by the Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of the ACC following previous discussion on the directives planned, with the British and American Representatives.

3. British and American Representatives will take part in the general conferences of Chiefs of Sections and Representatives of ACC, on questions of principle, which have been called by the Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of ACC,4 but they may also, either personally or through their Representatives, participate, in the appropriate cases, in mixed commissions set up by the Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of ACC on questions connected with the carrying out of its functions by the Allied Control Commission.

4. The freedom of travel throughout the country is permitted to British and American Representatives provided that the ACC is informed beforehand of the time and route of the trips.

5. The British and American Representatives in ACC have the right to determine the number and composition of their representatives.5

6. Deliveries and shipment by air of mail, cargo and the dispatch of diplomatic couriers of the British and American Representatives in ACC will be made at the time and following the procedure established [Page 692] by the Allied Control Commission, and, in special cases, after previous agreement with the Chairman (Deputy Chairman) of ACC.

To this, we feel, should be added that on all other points, “The Statutes of the ACC in Rumania”,6 which 20/9/1944 was communicated to the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America will continue to remain in force.

Susaicov

Chief of Staff
Allied Control Commission for Rumania
Lt General
Vinogradov

  1. See vol. i, document No. 309.↩
  2. See document No. 796.↩
  3. A telegraphic text of this enclosure was received by the United States Delegation at Babelsberg on July 18 as a retransmission from the War Department of telegram No. M 1250 from Schuyler. A variant translation was circulated at the Berlin Conference by the Soviet Delegation.↩
  4. The variant translation referred to in footnote 3, supra, has at this point the following additional clause: “which conferences shall take place regularly”.↩
  5. In the variant translation referred to in footnote 3, ante, this paragraph ends as follows: “composition of their own missions”.↩
  6. Not printed.↩