871.00/2–846: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Representative in Rumania (Berry)

secret
urgent

98. Urtel 159, Feb. 8. I do not feel that any purpose will be served by requesting further specific confirmation from Groza of the guarantees he has already given in writing and orally as set forth in note sent to him on Feb. 5. As Tatarescu’s reply does not take issue with the statement contained in that note of our understanding of those guarantees, it seems to me that his reply may be regarded as a satisfactory formal acknowledgment of those undertakings. I believe we will be more likely to obtain the practical execution of those guarantees by maintaining vigilance and protesting any violations as they occur than by engaging in further correspondence in an effort merely to achieve more specific affirmation of assurances already definitely given.

Accordingly please acknowledge receipt of Tatarescu’s communication along the following lines:

“My Government has been pleased to receive the communication of Feb. 7, 1946 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs which my Gov’t. considers happily confirms the U.S. Gov’t.’s understanding of the assurances received from the Rumanian Government in execution of the decisions taken at Moscow. In the circumstances the U.S. Government is prepared to entertain a request for its agreement to the appointment of a Rumanian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States.”44

We are informing the Brit. Embassy in the foregoing sense.45

Sent to Bucharest, repeated to London, Moscow, and Sofia.

Byrnes
  1. The note quoted here was delivered by Mr. Berry on February 14, and the text was released to the press by the Department on February 15; see Department of State Bulletin, February 28, 1946, p. 298.
  2. Telegram 1701, February 11, from London, reported that the Rumanian reply to the British note on recognition had been a simple acknowledgment and did not contain any further guarantees. The Foreign Office felt that it would be useless to press for any additional guarantees from the Rumanian Government. (871.01/2–1146)