840.4016/3–946: Telegram

The Minister in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State45

secret

486. From information available here it is not altogether certain Soviets would refuse the Hungarians support for rectification Transylvanian frontier as suggested in mytels 350 and 364, February 20.46 There is reason to believe USSR is dangling the carrot of revision before Hungarians to obtain economic concessions.

It may be that if our feeling that the Transylvanian frontier should be redrawn somewhat in favor of Hungarians became public knowledge, it might have some effect on the short-term political situation in Rumania but apparently this damage has already been done if the King’s views expressed to British are based on Rumanian public opinion. (Bucharest’s 271, March 647 and London’s 2495, March 148).

It seems to me we should strive for long range objective of removing as many frontier injustices in Central Europe as possible as occasions [Page 273] for so doing arise. By throwing problem in lap of UNO, we in effect turn our backs on an unsolved problem, though I can readily understand Berry’s49 point of view under pressure of current events.

In considering what we might gain by advocating or participating in a revision of Transylvanian frontier following points seem to be pertinent: (1) Do we not thereby reinforce our belief in the principle that frontiers are not static and that injustices should be corrected? (2) If minimum Hungarian claims are satisfied do we not remove one more of the reasons why the Balkans have been consistent trouble spot and (3) as a practical present day fact is it not more important for us to consider the effect of a frontier revision on Hungarian internal politics than on Rumanian internal politics inasmuch as Hungary is still a twilight zone in respect to Soviet expansion whereas the shadows falling on Rumania are already of deeper hue.

Sent Dept, repeat to Bucharest as 19, to London as 130 and Moscow as 122.

Schoenfeld
  1. The Department’s reply to this telegram was contained in telegram 315, April 5, to Bucharest, p. 586; also sent to Budapest as telegram 352.
  2. Neither printed.
  3. Post, p. 579.
  4. Not printed.
  5. Burton Y. Berry, United States Representative in Rumania.