HUNGARY’S CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25205, 9 June 1947, Page 7

HUNGARY’S CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT

Britain Considering U.S. Protest STATEMENT EXPECTED TO-DAY (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, June 8. "Ihe Foreign Secretary (Mr Ernest Bevin) and his permanent advisers at the Foreign Office, in deciding whether to support the United Stales draft Note to Moscow alleging interference in Hungarian politics, face a far wider problem,” says the diplomatic correspondent of Reuters. Soviet influence on Central and Eastern Europe appears to have entered a new phase with the recent developments in Hungary and the arrest of Opposition members in Rumania and Bulgaria. Britain has to decide whether to put up a real fight against moves which London sees as a gross infringement of civil and democratic liberties, or whether to acquiesce after making formal protests.” Referring to the arrest on Friday of the Bulgarian Opposition leader, Mr Nikola Petkov, the correspondent says that Mr Petkov has always spoken his mind freely, and came out strongly against the electoral procedure which brought the present Bulgarian Government into power. His arrest had been threatened for some time, and it is significant that it has been made at the time of the Hungarian crisis and on charges similar to those brought against the Hungarian Ministers. “Many observers in London,” he adds, “believe that the obvious tightening of the regimes in eastern Europe and the drive against suspected opposition are carefully prepared countermoves to America’s policy in Greece and Turkey. The British decision on the United States Note, which is likely to be taken in time for a statement in the House of Commons to-morrow, will be a pointer to the future British attitude.”

“Whitehall is watching with grave concern the growing friction between the United States and Russia in Central and South-eastern Europe,” says the diplomatic correspondent of the ‘Sunday Times.” “The situation has deteriorated so severely in the last few weeks that an international crisis seems to be looming. “It is believed that Russia will reject the American request for a joint inquiry. Her rejection of the British request for copies of the accusation against Mr Nagy marks her determination to go ahead with the process of Communising Hungary. “The mere fact that they have been named in tne confession alleged to have been made by Mr Kovacs nas caused many leaders of the Sn allholders Party, who are accused mostly contacts with people with anti-Com-munistic views, to flee to escape arrest and deportation to Russia. This has greatly helped the Communist coup. ‘British information from Hungary amply confirms the reports which have aroused American resentment, although in the absence of Russian explanations London is disposed to move more cautiously. Britain, however, is willing to participate in any inquiry such as has been suggested by America.” , , , The- “New York Times,” in a leading article on the Communist coup in Hungary, says: “The coup stirs intense uneasiness throughout Europe, because it reveals so baldly the pattern wnich Russia seeks to apply to every nation in which her followers have been allowed to entrench themselves. All countries within or adjoining the Russian sphere of influence are exposed to Hungary’s fate. “There is reason to believe that the explosion in Hungary will soon be repeated in other sectors of the Russian zone. Russia is obliged to withdraw her occupation troops three months after the Balkan peace treaties are signed, but she is determined to leave behind pro-Communist regimes firm enough to resist any internal or external opposition. “The United States may not be able to do much to prevent the spread of this evil pattern where Russian troops stand ready to enforce it, but there are many ways in which we can help to fortify the free nations of Western Europe.” Treaty With Austria The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says that the programme for completing the peace treaty with Austria this year may be delayed indefinitely as a result of a possible Soviet coup in Austria. According to official circles in Washington, this was the first reaction to reports from Vienna that Mr Ernst Fischer, the Austrian Communist leader, had stated that the Soviet would not conclude a treaty with the present Austrian Government. “Mr Fischer,” the correspondent adds, “is known as a spokesman for the Soviet, and, as such, a person whose views may forecast Russian action. “Diplomats emphasised that a coup would be very raw in this instance, because the Communists polled only a fraction of the votes in the Austrian elections. Diplomats predict that if there is a Communist coup the United States will be prepared to remain indefinitely in its occupation zone. Presumably, Britain and France would do the same in their zones. “However, if the Russians took control of the Austrian Government and concluded a peace that would be effective in the Soviet zone, the result could be the breaking up of the Austrian State.” A Moscow message says that the Soviet Government declares there is peace and order in Hungary. The Hungarian National Committee, under the President (Dr Zoltan Tildy) the announcement adds, “has passed a resolution denying the lies and hostile rumours being spread abroad about the situation in Hungary.” Statement by New Premier In an interview in Budapest, the new Prune Minister (Mr Dinnyes) said: Nobody can withdraw the right from us or object to our intention to develop the closest co-operation with the Soviet Union.” Mr Dinnyes said that new national ejections would not take place until after the harvest about September, and there would be separate party Discussing the Hungarian Ministers abroad who had left their posts, Mr Dinnyes said that the representatives Ankara had taken away the legation’s cash. Mr Dinnyes said that after the elections of November, 1945, Mr Nagy had intoxicated with the effects of victory and had become inaccessible to members of the Smallholders* Party afldevcn to his Ministers. ‘We are not kidnappers, so we sent back his little son in the car Mr Stalin had given Mr Nagy.” Mr Dinnyes adde«. He declared that the dictatorial methods of Mr Nagy and Father Varga, the former Speaker of the Hungarian Assembly, had brought about toe crisis. Mr Matias Rakosi. the Communist Deputy-Prime Minister, said in a speech in Budapest: “Our brave iron fist, the Communist Party, seized the reins of government before the United States could rub its eyes.” Interviewed at Geneva, Mr Nagy denied that Mr Kovacs, the former Secretary of the Smallholders’ Party, or any of his political friends had plot' }ed against the Hungarian Republic. On the contrary, the Russians and the Hungarian Communists had conspired overthrow the constitutional Government by force and blackmail. Mr Nagy declared that his resignation had been extracted under duress ®nd that he was considering an appeal made to him to form a govern-gent-in-exile to present the case of Hungary before the United Nations. ?agy is still in constant touch those Hungarian Ministers who resigned while abroad and who him Hungary’s constitutional . Hungarian newspaper publishes it claims to be a confession by

Mr Kovacs. Mr Kovacs is alleged to have admitted that he approved connexions between the Smallholders’ Party and “the emigre Hungarian Army in the British zone of Austria.” that he planned the arming of an illegal army in western Hungary in March, 1948, on which the party would count in a fight for power, that he put conspirators in the party headquarters, and that he had discussed the possibility of forming a Hungarian government-in-exile. Mr Kovacs added, according to this newspaper, that he, Mr Nagy and Father Varga were guilty of conspiracy. Following the publication of a report that Zoltan von Borbely, a Hungarian journalist, had disappeared and was believed to have been kidnapped and taken to Hungary, about 1000 Hungarian refugees in Vienna are fleeing in panic towards the United States zone. Borbely was the Vienna correspondent of the Smallholders’ newspaper, “Pesti Hirlap.” Two members of Mr Nagy’s party who have arrived at Vienna said that officials of the party fleeing from Hungary had been told to gather at Innsbruck to establish an emigre Hungarian Government. The Hungarian News Agency in Budapest reports that secret documents have been discovered at the office of the former Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly which seriously compromise several Hungarian politicians and Ministers abroad. The documents are said to involve “a Minister in the Middle East.” The agency also reports that Professor Gyula Szefu, the diplomatic representative in Moscow, will probably be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. Request for Documents J The Russian representative on the Allied Control Commission in Budapest in reply to the British request for documents bearing on the recent political developments th Hungary, said that the Hungarian Government had only copies of the documents and could not therefore reproduce them. The Vienna correspondent of Reuters says that Father Varga, who fled from Hungary, is hiding in Vienna. Thirty Hungarian secret police have arrived to search for him. The Hungarian frontiers have been closed and a watch is being kept for other escaping politicians. Mr Laslo Kordolis, a Smallholder member of the Hungarian Parliament, who had been living in Vienna, disappeared on June 4. He is believed to have been kidnapped and taken to Hungary. It is reported in Vienna that Russian officers in the last four days have assumed control of the Hungarian Army and have drastically tightened discipline. The correspondent of Reuters in Budapest says that the new Hungarian Cabinet is negotiating with the Vatican to obtain its support. The correspondent adds that diplomatic negotiations between the Vatican and the Hungarian mission which Mr Nagy sent to Rome were suspended pending instructions from the new Government.

The Hungarian Legation in Washington has had to go through the melancholy process of dividing its members between those who wish to go into exile with the banished Government and those who have transferred their loyalty to the new rulers. Thirteen have chosen to leave their jobs, and three to remain to work for the new Government. UNO Inquiry Suggested Mr Aldar Szeged-Maszak. erstwhile Hungarian Minister to the United States, who has refused to recognise the new Communist regime, said that Hungary’s only hope of escaping from Russian domination lay with the United Nations. A United Nations investigation would determine not only the future of Hungary but of the peasant populations in all Eastern Europe. Asked what were his plans and those of the legation staff members who supported him, Mr Szeged-Maszak said: ‘‘Our biggest plan is to return to Hungary as soon as conditions permit. Meanwhile we will avail ourselves of United States hospitality and look for jobs.” The Hungarian Minister in Franqe (Mr Paul Mauer) has officially informed the French Foreign Office that, in view of events in his country, he no longer wishes to be regarded as the Hungarian jjppresentative in Paris. Several of his colleagues have followed his example. The French Foreign Office told Mr Mauer he could stay in France indefinitely. Mr Mauer said that some of his staff in the Hungarian Legation and the Consulate in Brussels had joined him in the decision not to serve the present Hungarian Government. At Geneva, the Hungarian delegate to the International Red Cross Committee (Mr Etienne Proges) has resigned because “the present Hungarian Government came to power through a coup d’etat.” Mr Proges explained that the Hungarian Red Cross had not regained its autonomy and was therefore dependent on the Government. KURILE ISLANDS TRANSFER FROM JAPAN SAID TO BE FINAL (Rec. 7 p.m) LONDON, June 6. A Foreign Office spokesman stated that Britain considered that the trans* fer to the JSOvjet Urjidn of the Kurile Islands, which the Big Three secretly decided at Yalta, is final and not subject to endorsement in the Far East peace settlement. The spokesman was referring to a statement from the Japanese Foreign -Minister (Mr Hitbshi Ashida) that Japan would press for the return of at least some of the Kurile Islands.