740.00119 Control (Hungary)/5–1445

The American Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Molotov)9

Dear Mr. Molotov: I have been instructed to advise you that my Government, in accepting the terms of the Armistice as presented to the Hungarian Delegation in Moscow on 18 January, 1945 is of the opinion that there should have been included in Article 18 an additional provision reading as follows:

“Upon the conclusion of hostilities against Germany and until the conclusion of peace with Hungary, the Allied Control Commission will regulate and supervise the execution of the Armistice according to instructions of the Governments of the United States, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom.”

In view of the fact that such a clause has not been included, I desire to inform you at this time that my Government may consider it necessary at some later date to confer with the Soviet and British Governments regarding the detailed manner in which Article 18 should be implemented during the period following the cessation of hostilities with Germany.

I am addressing a similar communication to my British colleague.

Sincerely yours,

W. A. Harriman
  1. Copy transmitted to the Department as enclosure 25 in despatch 1713, May 14, 1945, from Moscow, not printed.