AN ERROR IN CURZON'S NOTE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000500160025-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 5, 2012
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: April 1, 1944
• Content Type: MISC

c Poland #310
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/05: CIA-RDP08001297R000500160025-5
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- Journal of Central European Affairs, Volume Four, April, 1944, Number One.
pages 15 to 17
DEPARTMENTOFSTATE.
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An Error In Curzon'S Note
The afore-mentioned error crept into the text of the British
note of July 11th while it was being drawn up. The error can best be made
evident by a juxtaposition of ?the texts of (1) the agreement concluded be-
tween Poland and the Powers on July 10 and (2) Lord Curzon's note of
July 11.
In the transcription of both texts given below the individual
sentences are juxtaposed-without interrupting the continuity of the originial-
so as to render their comprison possible;
Text of the Agreement concluded on July 10, 1920, between Poland
and the Powers:
The Polish Government agrees:
(a) Than an armistice shall be signed without delay, and the
Polish army withdrawn to the line provisionally laid down by the Peace
Conference of December 8, 1919, as the Eastern boundary within which
Poland was entitled to establish a Polish administration, whereas the Soviet
armies shall stand at a distance of 50 kilometres eastwards of that line.
Wilno shall without delay be relinquished to Lithuania and excluded 0
from the zone occupied by the Red Army during the armistice In Eastern Galicitt!
both armies shall stand on the line fixed at the date of the signature of the
armistice, after which each army shall withdraw 10 kilometres in orded to
create a neutral zone.
(b) That as soon as possible thereafter a conference sitting under
the auspices of the Peace Conference should assemble in London to be attended by
representatives of Soviet Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland, vak
with the object of negotiating a final peace between Russia and its neighboring
states; representatives of Eastern Galicia would also be invited to London to
state their case for the purpose of this conference.
(c) To the acceptance of the decision of the Supreme Council regarding
Lituanian frontiers, the setllement of the question of Eastern Galicia, that
of Teschen, and the future Polish treaty with Danzig.
In the event of Poland's acceptance of the above terms the British
Government shall immediately send a similar proposal to Soviet Russia and
should she refuse an armistice the Allies shallt give Poland all aid, par-
ticularly in war material as fa f as would be possible in view of their own ex-
haustion and heavy obligations undertaken elsewhere. This aid would be given
in order to enable the Polish nation to defend its indipendence."
Text of Lord Curzon's note to the Soviet
Government, of July 11, 1920:
(a) That an immediate armistice be signed between Poland and
Soviet Russia whereby hostilities shall be suspended. Ther terms of this
armistice shall provide on the one hand that the Polish army shall immediately
vlithdraw to the line provisionally-laid down last year by the Peace Conference
as the Eastern boundary with-in which Poland was entitled to establish a
Polish Administration. This line runs approximately as follows: Grodno,
Vapovka, Eemirov, Brest-Litovisk, Dorogusk, Ustilug, east of Grubeshov, Krilov,
and thence west of Rawa Ruska, east of Przemysl to the Carpathians. North of
Grodno the line which will be held by the Lithuanians will run along the
railway running from Grodno to Vilna and thence to Dzwinsk. On the other hand,
the armistice should provide that the armies of Soviet Russia should stand at
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An ?
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? a distance of 50 kilometres to the east of this line; in Eastern Galicia
each army will stand on the line which they occupy at the d ate of the
signature of the armistice.
(b) That as soon as possible thereafter a conference sitting under
the auspicesof the Peace Conference should assemble in London to be
attended by representatives of Soviet Russia, Poland, Lituania, Latvia,
RIxxt Finland with the object' of negotiating a final peace between Russia
and its neighbouring States; representatives of Eastern Galicia would also
be invited to state their case for the purpose of this conference. Great
Britain will place no restriction on the representatives which Russia may
nominate; provided that they undertake, while in Great Britain, not to
interfere in the politics or the internal affairs of the British Empire or
to indulge in propaganda.
The British Government would be glad of an immediate reply to this
telegram, for the Polish Go ernment has asked for the intervention of the
Allies, and if time is lost a situation may develop which will make the
conclusion of lasting peace far more difficult in Eastern Europe. Further,
While the British Government has bound itself to give no assistance to
Poland for any prupose hostile to Russia, it is also bound under the Covenant
of the League of Nations to defend the integrity andindependence of Poland,
within its legitimate ethnographic frontiers. If, therefore, Soviet Rusia
despite its repeated declarations accepting the independence of Poland, will
not be content with the withdrawal of the polish armies from,Russian soil on
the condition of a mutual armistice, but intends to take action hostile to
Poland in its own territory, the British Government and its Allies would feel
bound to assist theJ3Olish nation to defend its existence with all the means
at their disposal. The Polish Government has declared its willingness to make
peace with Soviet Russia and to initiate negiotiations for an armistice on a
basis of the conditions set out above if directly it is informed that Soviet
Russia also agrees.
npriacsified and Approved For Release 2012/10/05: CIA-RDP08C01297R000500160025-5