Code Message No. 658 from Ambassador Willman in Budapest to Rapacki

25

January 16, code message from the ambassador in Budapest

regarding the proposal that Hungary join the nuclear-free zone

Top secret

FLASH

Code message No 658

from BUDAPEST, transmitted: Jan. 16, 1958, 14.50 hrs

RAPACKI – WIERNA

Yesterday, at a social gathering of [section] heads, councilors and first secretaries of the local diplomatic missions of socialist countries at the [residence of] the Bulgarian ambassador Stoychev, the Hungarian deputy minister of foreign affairs, Sebes, in reference to the correspondence from Rome that was announced to you in our dispatch No 6, which concerns, among others’ Gromyko’s proposal to include Italy in the nuclear-free zone, he said that Hungary is taking advantage of this opportune moment are now considering various forms of its support or accession to the zone.

This information was immediately supplemented by the head of the foreign department of the Central Committee of the HSWP [Hungarian Socialist Workers Party] Szilagyi, who stressed that the problem was discussed by the Political Bureau of the CC HSWP.

In more lengthy explanation, using the arguments that you recommended I said that as we have no confirmation of the substance of Gromyko’s conversation reported in correspondence from Rome, and I tried to persuade deputy ministers Sebes and Szarek, as well as Szilagyi not to have Hungary ‘join’ the zone. The Soviet ambassador, Gromov, firmly backed our position, using arguments analogous to ours and pointed out the need to support the Polish plan without any further proposals. “First we shall offer our full support and help to realize the Polish plan, and when it is accepted, fortunately, then we would be able to think of its possible extension”, Gromov concluded.

Our position was backed by the Czech ambassador Viktory and the Romanian ambassador Popescu

Sebes promised me that they would consult us in matters related to the plan.

In a subsequent conversation our Hungarian interlocutors expressed their understanding for our argument against the possibility of their ‘accession’ to the zone, and rather spoke of considering [other] forms of supporting the plan.

At this juncture Gromov informed us of what he heard from the French envoy Paul Boncour about the alleged chance of  Gaillard’s negative stance on the Polish plan.

/–/ WILLMANN

AMSZ, ZD. 6/77, w. 57, t. 783