Külpolitika - A Magyar Külügyi Intézet folyóirata - 1997 (3. évfolyam)
1997 / 3. szám - ESEMÉNYNAPTÁR - Resumé
Resumé Mihály Fülöp The Role of Great Britain and France in the Preparation of the Hungarian Treaty of Peace in 1945-1946 The British diplomacy had played a more significant role in peace settlement than we would first think: the theory of three-power decision making (1943, Potsdam 1945), as well as the Italian model-precedent in peace making were both created by them. The text of the Hungarian treaty of peace totally corresponds to that of the Italian, Romanian, Bulgarian and also corresponds to that of the armistice agreements.. In this context we can hardly speak about Hungarian peace negotiations: within two years it was only twice that Hungary was put on the agenda separately concerning the issues of reparations-withdrawal of the troops, border-resettlement at the sessions of the Council of Foreign Secretaries between 1945 and 1946. Our ideas about the negotiations between the victor and the defeated should be given up, since the 'peace' conference in Paris was aimed to accept merely the recommendations of the victor. The nature of peace was determined by the English and Russian policy both great power preferred the hierarchical, great-power decision making, as well as the dictated, punitive peace. The establishment of the European peace system was due to the British: connecting the five peace treaties (the Italian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Finnish), the Austrian treaty and the final German settlement makes the European borders unshakeable and definitely rules out the possibility of Transylvanian border modifications and even the unification of Moldavia and Romania. In the issue of the Hungarian peace the most significant question was posed by the British: restoration of the Hungarian independence and sovereignty, and the future of the democratic regime, i.e. the withdrawal of the troops of the Red Army. It was Churchill who wheedled out of the Russians the only important concession: he achieved reduction in the reparations from USD 400 million to USD 300 million still in the period of armistice. In issues like Hungarian-Romanian border, resettlement of Slovakian Hungarians exchange territories, military, economic and financial orders and minority protection, Great Britain, acknowledging the prior interest of the Soviet Union, was to relieve the burden on Hungary in defense of the democratic forces and the small-holders led government. The other European allied great power, France, not being involved in the drafting of the Hungarian peace treaty, however had withdrawn from Trianon. France urged advantageous solutions in favour of Hungary in issues concerning Hungar1997. ősz 159
