871.00/11–946: Telegram
The Representative in Rumania (Berry) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received November 13—6:07 a.m.]
1047. As forthcoming Rumanian election is being cut to a Moscow pattern, I hold no hope for securing Soviet agreement to ACC consideration of opposition memorandum or to impartial consideration of any aspect of electoral problem by ACC. Nevertheless, for the good that it will have outside Rumania now as well as within this country when democratic methods are finally restored, I favor making the effort.
Since acts of past cannot be undone, it seems undesirable at this stage to emphasize in ACC discussion of abuses of freedoms and perjuring of electoral lists, but I believe many projected abuses may be prevented if we can assure opposition parties of their right to have representatives at all polling places throughout November 19, (reference Department’s telegram 715, November 839). This would do something to restore situation of which opposition leaders complain in second memorandum, (reference my telegram 1043, November 940).
Whether we succeed in bringing electoral problem before ACC as means to reinforce our notes, I think we cannot let the Rumanian note of November 2 stand as last document of this exchange. That note calls for reply. Moreover, a reply should be available to the Rumanian [Page 651] people before they go to polls. In view of impediments to news distribution in Rumania November 15 is our deadline.41
- Not printed; it reported on the proposals contained in the British aide-mémoire of November 5, supra.↩
- Not printed, but see footnote 31, p. 643.↩
- Text of reply to the Rumanian note of November 2 was transmitted in telegram 726, November 14, to Bucharest, not printed. Regarding delivery of the American note, see bracketed note, above.↩