501.BB Balkans/9–849
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Thompson)
- Participants: Mr. Jules Feldmans, Latvian Chargé d’Affaires
- EUR—Mr. Thompson
- EE—Mr. Salter
During the course of a conversation with me at the Department today, the Chargé d’Affaires referred to conditions in the Baltic States, mentioning particularly the action of the USSR in deporting nationals of those states to the Soviet Union. The situation was tragic and deplorable, he said, involving genocide and the violation of human rights. Mr. Feldmans said he was considering submitting a memorandum on conditions in the Baltic states to the forthcoming session of the General Assembly in the hope that some action, possibly an investigation, might be ordered by the UN. He inquired whether such a request to the UN would have the support of the U.S. Delegation. Speaking personally and quite frankly, I told Mr. Feldmans that I did not think it would. I said this Government was concerned over the reports received of conditions in the Baltic states and deeply sympathized with the people there. U.S. consideration of his memorandum would subject the UN to a strain which we would not wish to place upon it at this time, particularly since the only results likely to be achieved would be a certain amount of publicity. Our decision to support a cause [course] of action in the UN was usually determined on the basis of the over-all political situation at the time and, in regard to the presentation of a memorandum of the kind he had described, the question of timing was of special importance. Mr. Feldmans said he fully understood the difficulties involved but he felt that one should not wait indefinitely to take some action with regard to the Baltic States.