Evening star., 1948-05-11
Texts of Gen. Smiths Statement and Soviet RepI,
BY the Assoe;otsd Press

BY the Assoe;otsd Press
LONDON, May u.-The Tass
Aqency'S persion of the Russian
Governments statement to Aneri-
can Ambassador Walter BedeH
Smith:
On May 9 Mr.. Molotov received
Gen. Bedell Smith and on instruc-
tions of the Soviet government made
the following statement:
The Soviet government has &C
quainted itself with the statement
made by the United States Ambas-
sador, Gen. Bedell Smith, on May
this year with reference to the pres
ent state of Soviet-American rela-
tions. The Soviet government views
favorably the desire of the Govern
ment Of the U. S. A. to improve
these relations as expressed in the
said statement and agrees to the
proposal to proceed. with this end in
view, to the discussion and settle
ment Of differences existing between
us.
At the same time. the Soviet gov
ernment deems it necessary to state
that it is unable to agree with the
Government of the U. S. A. in that
the present unsatisfactory state OF
Soviet American relations and the
tension are caused by
the policy of the U. S. S. r. in East
ern Europe and by the growing in
fuence of the Soviet Union there.
AS regards relations between the
u. S. s. r. and its neighbors, as we'll
as other countries in Europe, the
Soviet government is in a position
to note with satisfaction that these
relations, indeed, have considerably
improved since the war. 1t is known
that this has found expression in
the conclusion of treaties of friend
ship and mutual assistance between
the U. S. S. r. and those countries,
treaties which are aimed exclusively
against repetition of aggression on
the part of Germany and her pos
sible allies and which, contrary to
the statement of the United States
Ambassador in Moscow, Gen. Bedell
Smith, contain no secret protocols
whatever. The above mentioned
countries, which were swept by
German aggression. are especially
interested in the conclusion of such
treaties.
United States Policy Cited.
1t is known that the United States
is also pursuing a policy of con-
solidating its relations with neigh
boring countries, such as. for in
stance, Canada and Mexico, as well
as other American countries, which
is perfectly comprehensive. 1t is
equally comprehensive that the
Soviet Union Is also pursuing a
policy of consolidating its relations
with neighboring and other coun-
tries of Europe. A policy of con-
solidating friendly relations with
these countries of Europe will be
pursued by the Soviet Union in the
future as well.
The statement Of the United
States Government says that certain
foreign policy steps of the United
States in other countries which
evoke the discomfort of the U. S.
S. F. are caused by the excessive
influence of the Soviet Union on the
domestic affairs of those countries.
The Soviet government cannot agree
with such an explanation. As re-
CARDS the countries of Eastern Eu-
rope which are referred to in this
case, it known that since the
Ewar Important sdemocratic trans
fprma tiohs have taken place there.
THAT they constitute a means of
defense against the threat of a new
war, and for this reason favorable
conditions were created for the de,
velopment of friendly relations be-
tween these countries and the U. S.
S. r.
1t would be utterly wrong to
ascribe the democratic transforma-
tons which have taken place there
to the intervention of the Soviet
Union in the domestic affairs of the
said countries. This would mean
ignoring the indubitable fact that
the above transformations consti-
tute the natural result of the victory
of the democratic forces over Nazism
and Fascism and are regarded by
the peoples of Eastern Europe as a
guarantee against the threat of a
new war. In the light of the above,
the promotion of Communists to
leading positions is perfectly natural
because peoples of these countries
regard the Communists as the most
consistent fighters against a new
war.
No one has the right to dispute
the fact that the implementation
of democratic reforms is the do
mestic affair of each state. How
ever, from the above statement of
the Government of the U. S. A.
it clearly follows that this govern
ment holds a different view and
on its part practices Intervention
in the domestic affairs of other
states, which cannot but evoke Sc
ricus objections on the part of the
Soviet government. Events in
Greece are not the sole example Of
such intervention in the domestic
affairs of other states.
The Government of the U. S. A.
also explains the present unsatis-
factory state of Soviet-American
relations by the Soviet govern
ments attitude to the so-called Eu-
copean Recovery Program. Mean
while, it is perfectly clear that if
the question of the economic 1ecov-
cry of the European countries had
not been dealt with in the manner
adopted in the said program, but
on the basis of normal conditions