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The la test decree of the Jdpreme Council of the DSSR franta as aa eroeptian to the decree of ?Javember 29th,1939» the ri$it to lolish dtizenship of persons serwing in the Polisli Aray in the U3SR, ar assisting that anqy, as wali as of the nenbers of the fnrailies of soch persono. The decree ryants to 3oviet dtizens of lolish descent, who had not prewioualy been Poliah dtizens ttae rigrfc to claim lolish dtizenship and it opens up a kinfl of seleotiwe prooeeding to be atłuinistored by a ccnnission af the 3uprene Council.

Tbe lolish Governaent, whilc /.olcordn^ thu witbdraaml of the Soviet (kTTernoent fToo its farmer attitude of regarding as Sowiet dtizens all Pollnh dtizeas witbin the reach of 3oviet ewcutiwe pcwer, deaire to reserwe to all lolish ci ti ze aa the right to rOlish citlzenahip withoat dscrldnatian baaed on arbitrary criteria af race, origin ar present ni li tary servloe. Acecrding to the dccroe of the Suprema Council of Juae 22nd,19Mv, the members of the families of ths Polisli aoldiers, ainoen and sailars oerwing in the United Klngdoa oa* in the Idediteiranean theatre af .tot, would be ercluded frcc the rl&it to claim release from Iowie t citlzenahip as impoaed on them by the decree of the Suprome Council of Nororiber 29th,1939« On the other hand, the decree grants to Sowiet dtizens who had no prawiono ccmnection with loland the right to lolish dtizenship. Thln measure la probahly designed to Justify the fact that the Polish Arny in the OSSR and the so-callcd rartis eno in Poland cre offioered mainly ty Sowiet dtizens. Kewertfaeless thia parowision of the af cre sald decree cannot be regarded as lawful ar legaiły binding.    ^    177

The lolish Gowernment¹ hawo stated in their notes addresaed to the Gowemments of the United Kingdom cod the U3SR, notably in thoir notes of Ftetrucry 21st,15fel, December 9th,1941, January 26th, 19^-3* and ifarch 29th,19*»-3, that all persons who were lolish dtizens be faro jeptember lst,1939, and under Poliałi law had not farfeited such dtizenship, remnined dtizens af the lolish Republio. Ihe rolish Gowernment reserwod to themselve3 the ri£^rt to query all futuro facto ani situatians, both in a generał sense and in reference to indiwidual cases, resulting from arbitrary and unilateral dedsions talcen ty the Gowemaent af the U33R canoerrdng lolish dtizens within the reoch of i te eiecutiwe power.

In wiew of the abowe, the lolish Gowerrraent hawe the hanour to metr the reseryations to which referenoe has already be en madę and to state t2iat all action taken under the decree of the Suprema Council of June 22nd,19Wf, with regard to 3oviet dtizens who have pmtoołly not been lolish dtizens, will not be binding far tho lolish Cowernaent.

LCWDCW, July l2th,19M*-.

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