Editorial Notes
During the period June 25–29, 1948, American, British, and French officials met in Paris to discuss common economic and legal problems which had arisen in connection with the implementation of the Treaties of Peace with Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Italy. The United States Delegation included Jacques J. Reinstein, Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, and Benedict English, Assistant Legal Adviser in the Department of State. The British Delegation included Sir Henry Gregory, Controller, Trading with Enemy Department, and John Watson, Assistant Head, Southern Department, British Foreign Office. France was represented by Francois de Panafieu, Director General, Direction des Accords Techniques, French Foreign Ministry, and Christian R. Auboyneau, Assistant Director, Direction des Accords Techniques, French Foreign Ministry. The primary purpose of the discussions was the exchange of ideas and opinions on those treaty implementation problems, with a [Page 365] view perhaps to reaching decisions thereon which could be recommended to the respective governments of the conferees for further consideration. In addition the Department of State felt it would be desirable to acquaint the French and British Governments with the scope and purpose of the Conference on the Implementation of the Peace Treaties, held in Rome a few days earlier.
Six meetings were held in all, four being tripartite and two being composed of American and British officials only. It became evident during the first tripartite meeting that the French representatives were interested primarily in discussing the problems arising from the recently-enacted Romanian nationalization law. The tripartite discussions therefore were devoted primarily to that subject, although during the first two meetings other aspects of treaty implementation were discussed briefly. The American and British conferees held separate meetings for the purpose of discussing in more detail various economic and legal problems arising from the implementation of the treaties of peace. The minutes of the tripartite discussions of June 25–29, 1948, are included in CFM Files, Lot M–88, Box 105.
Regarding the note eventually delivered to the Romanian Government on September 7, 1948, with respect to the Romanian nationalization law, see the editorial note, page 370.
During 1948 the Hungarian Government conducted a campaign against the Voice of America to limit the right of anyone in Hungary to listen to whatever radio program he chose. In a statement released to the press on July 9, 1948, Assistant Secretary of State George V. Allen condemned this Hungarian campaign against the Voice of America; for the text of the statement, see Department of State Bulletin, July 18, 1948, page 91. The Hungarian Chargé at Washington addressed a note to the Secretary of State on July 14 denouncing Assistant Secretary Allen’s statement and attempting to refute the allegations made therein. In a reply of July 20 the Secretary of State welcomed the assurances that Hungarian citizens were not restricted in listening to the Voice of America, pointing out that reports from Hungary and statements in the Hungarian press had given a contrary impression. For the texts of the exchange of notes between the Hungarian Chargé and the Secretary of State, see ibid., August 1, 1948, pages 145–147.