Word: bessarabia
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...occasion marked the first time since the War that a duly accredited representative of Rumania has appeared in Moscow. For eleven years Rumania and Russia have been at odds, in fact ever since Rumania possessed herself in 1918 of the rich Russian province of Bessarabia (pop. 2,600.000). Thereafter the govern-ment at Bucharest refused to recognize the Bolshevist regime; and, for eleven years, Soviet school children have been studying maps on which Bessarabia appears as part of Russia labeled: "Under temporary Rumanian military occupation...
Last fortnight the new, progressive peasant government of Rumania (TIME, Nov. 19) announced that they would sign the Litvinov protocol, but only on condition that the Soviets permanently renounce all claims to Bessarabia...
This statement can only mean that Rumania has received what she considers a satisfactory assurance that Russia-will not in future try to get back Bessarabia. Any other understanding would not, from the Rumanian point of view, leave the Bessa-rabian question "finally settled...
What did that mean-Bessarabia? Oracle Litvinov did not explain. Perhaps he was alluding to the several hundred pinpricks and quarrels which have estranged Bucharest and Moscow. But whatever he meant, 'his words provoked no slightest frown or trace of annoyance on the smiling face of Carol A. Davila...
Significance. If Rumania actually did receive a secret assurance that Soviet Russia has renounced her claims to Bessarabia, that was the biggest news in Europe last week. Secrecy may well have been necessary, in order to give the Soviet Government time in which to break gently to Soviet citizens, school children and map makers the news that Bessarabia has been in Rumania for the last eleven years...