Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎179r] (365/978)

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counter-charge of attempting to eliminate
their left-wing allies by craft and subtlety,
and of preparing to use violence in the last
resort. The four Coalition Parties are
nevertheless agreed as to their common
programme, which concentrates on the
m iree Year Plan, nationalisation—particu
larly of the major banks—and further
agrarian reforms. Cardinal Mindszenty
has stated that the Church will not support
any single Party, but has urged voters to
refer the matter to their consciences—
advice which the Vatican supports.
M. Rakosi, backed by the Communist
Press, has called for the return of
prisoners-of-war from the West, especially
those of military age, who had, he alleges,
been absorbed by their thousands in various
foreign legions. The Anglo-American
attitude is unfavourably contrasted with
that of the Soviet Union.
His Majesty’s Government and the
Government of the U.S.A. have notified
the Soviet Government of the importance
which they attach to the question of the
transfer to Russia of German and Italian
property in Hungary. The British Note
stresses the need of finding a definition of
the term “ assets ” which will satisfy the
Three Powers concerned, and requests that
further action be meanwhile suspended.
The Note also maintains that as the Soviet
Union will be entitled to collect the debts
due to these undertakings it must also pay
the debts contracted by them.
M. M. Oltvanyi and M. Csornoky have
been appointed as Ministers to Berne and
Cairo respectively. Both are members of
the Smallholders’ Party.
General Sviridov has informed the
Foreign Minister that Hungary may
resume diplomatic relations with Albania.
Roumania
The National Peasant Party has been
disbanded by an Order in Council A regulation issued by the sovereign of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Privy Council. with the
approval of the Roumanian Parliament.
The latest episode in the campaign
against the Peasant Party is the arrest of
no fewer than two-thirds of the Peasant
Deputies. Many other prominent members
of the party are in hiding. It is reported
by D1 Hatieganu, who was formerly
included in the Groza Government at the
instance of the Allied Control Commission,
that during the recent Moscow talks with
D1 Gheorghiu-Dej, the Roumanian Com
munists informed the Russian authorities
that without the support of Russian troops
the Groza Government and its Communist
masters could not maintain themselves in
power.
Dl. Tatarescu has informed the British
Political Representative that he has
received information from the Turkish
Ambassador that on 25th July an aircraft
landed at Istanbul from Craiova with three
officers, three civilians and the crew. The
pilot had been shot dead.
Seven members of the Greek E.A.M.
organisation have been granted visas for
Greece. There are said to be branches of
the E.A.M. at Braila, Sulina, Tulcea, and
Isaceea, the members being in close touch
with the Roumanian Communists. A
branch at Galata up to a few weeks ago
consisted of thirty members, but on a recent
occasion a distribution of maize flour was
made to poor Greeks, and 220 persons were
forced to register as members as a con
dition of receiving help; they did so, as
they were in fact dying of starvation.
Information has been received that
General Radescu, the former Prime
Minister—who after the fall of his Govern
ment was given sanctuary in the British
Legation, and eventually escaped by plane
to Cyprus—will “ direct the operations of
the resistance movement abroad.” There
may, of course, be something in this rumour,
but there is more than one “ resistance
movement ” abroad.
The Roumanian Government have
approached His Majesty’s Government on
the subject of Roumanian rolling-stock
removed by the Germans and now to be
found in the British zone of Germany,
where it is used for the normal railway
traffic between Roumania and Germany.
Under Article 28 of the Peace Treaty this
property “ becomes eligible ” for restitu
tion. This clause of the treaty is one which
the Roumanians would like to see honoured.
His Majesty’s Government have replied
asking for a census of German and Allied
rolling-stock still in Roumania. His
Majesty’s Government will then furnish a
census of rolling-stock in the British and
American zones of Germany. The reply
concludes with a reminder to the
Roumanian Government that the Western
Allied countries will probably expect the
return of their property from Roumania to
be given precedence over the return of
German stock.
The purchase of 35,000 tons of maize
from the U.S.A. by Roumania has been
cancelled, as it is stated that the home pro
duction is sufficient for all needs; the gold
deposited in Switzerland for payment has
been removed.