740.00119 E.W./10–1344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:12 p.m.]
3927. ReEmbtel 3900 of October 11, 8 p.m. I have informed Molotov in writing that I concurred for my Government to the proposal of the Soviet Government that the Soviet High Command should enter into negotiations with the Hungarian command in order to establish the time of the cessation of the Soviet advance towards Budapest and also to decide which Hungarian military units should be sent to Budapest for immediate tasks against the Germans, and that I was prepared immediately to commence examination of the Hungarian armistice conditions; I also set forth the considerations contained in the Department’s 2417 of October 12.
In view of the urgent military considerations which are involved in Hungary and which, as the Department is aware, are quite different from those pertaining in Rumania at the time of the Rumanian armistice negotiations, I trust that the Department is handling this question with all possible speed and secrecy. I am meeting with Molotov at 4:00 this afternoon to discuss Hungarian armistice terms and expect to receive the Soviet draft today.