PRINCIPAL HUNGARIAN PROBLEMS Summary The long-range interest of the United States in the mainten- ance of peace and stability in central Europe may be involved in the issues now arising in connection with terms of armistice for Hungary, with the control o‚ Hungary during the armistice period, and with the territorial settlement. The two most pressing prob- lems are (1) the share which the United States will have in the work of the Allied Control Commission, and (2) the payment of reparation by Hungary. It is possible that Soviet and American policy may not be in harmony if the Soviet Union uses its position as the power in ac- tual control of the exec-tion of the armistice to intervene in Hungarian domestic affairs, to dominate Hungary, or to pursue a severe policy of the reparation question which would cripple Hun- garkan economy and thus delay the economic recovery of Europe and the restoration of normal economic relationships based on equal treatment for all nations. While American and British interests are more or less the same in these questions, we prefer an independent approach to the Rus- sians and should seek agreement on solutions and procedures which take account of the interests of all these and of the other United Nations. It would be desirable to secure the agreement of the British and Soviet Governments to the following principles: 1. Participation of the American and British Governments in the execution of the armistice to the maximum degree consistent with leaving to the Soviet High Command decisions connected with the conduct of military operations; after Germany's surrender all three Governments should have equal representation and responsi- bility; 2. An Allied economic policy toward Hungary which will recon- cile legitimate claims of Allied nations to reparation with the general interest in promoting the rapid economic recovery of Europe; 3. The desirability of reaching a settlement of the Hungarian- Rumanian frontier dispute and of encouraging an eventual settlement between Hungary and Czechoslovakia and perhaps between Hungary and Yugoslavia, by friendly mutual negotiation, which would take into account the Hungarian ethnic claims. |