740.00119 EW/1–945: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 10—11:39 a.m.]
88. We met again today, at Molotov’s request, to discuss armistice terms for Hungary. Molotov stated that after final examination of the question the Soviet Government still saw no necessity for a subcommittee on reparations and considered that the economic section of the Control Commission would be quite sufficient for the purposes we had in mind. I inquired whether the economic section would receive currently full reports on reparations matters. The answer was yes. I then stated that in these circumstances we would accept the proposed clause on reparations, but would be obliged to give to the Soviet and British Governments at the time of the signing of the armistice a written communication reserving to ourselves the right to reopen this subject in case we should find this necessary. Molotov replied that there was no need for this, that these matters could always be taken up through diplomatic channels. He said that the submission of such a letter would weaken the armistice. To this I replied that these were my instructions, and I pointed out that the letter would be addressed to the other two Allied Governments and not to the Hungarians. I mentioned, however, that we might find it necessary to publish the letter. Molotov then remarked that the Soviet Government [might?] find it necessary to reply in a similar way. I said that their right to do this was fully recognized on our part.
At Balfour’s suggestion, Molotov agreed to delete in article XII the words “and will wage war”.
It was thereupon agreed that the discussion of the reparations question was completed as between our Government and the Soviet Government. Balfour maintained that his instructions were still not final and reserved the right to return to the subject at a later date.
We then took up the question of the Control Commission. I recited our various objections to the Soviet draft of the statutes. I stressed [Page 969] particularly our desire for assurances that policy directives would be communicated to the Allied representatives sufficiently in advance of their issuance to permit those representatives to communicate with their Governments on the subject. Molotov maintained that during the first period the military situation would not always make this possible and that, therefore, they could give no such general assurances. He pointed out that their wording left open the possibility of communicating the information in advance in cases where the military considerations permitted, but he insisted that more precise wording was not possible because the freedom of action of the Soviet command could not be restricted. I also stressed our desire for a specific recognition of the tripartite character of the Control Commission in the second period. On this point, too, Molotov gave no satisfaction and stuck to the principle of consultation set forth in their draft statutes.
We then turned to the question of the rights and privileges of the Allied representatives. Molotov agreed to insert a clause recognizing the right of our representatives to courier and pouch service. He declined to include in the statutes assurances concerning the landing rights for airplanes and stated that it would be the duty of the local Soviet military authorities to make these arrangements with our representatives. With respect to the right to travel throughout Hungary, he pointed out that the Soviet representative on the Italian Control Commission had at first not been permitted to travel freely, although the restrictions had later been relaxed. In general I told him that I was interested not so much in getting clauses along these lines into the statutes as in obtaining his own assurance that our representative on the Hungarian Control Commission would be better treated in these respects than our representatives in Rumania and Bulgaria had been.
I can now proceed no further until I receive an expression of the Department’s views with respect to the Control Commission. Since Molotov is pressing hard for early presentation of the terms to the Hungarians, I hope I may receive instructions without delay.