Summary: The article highlights the main milestones of the history of the Danube problem and the formalization of the international legal regime of the major waterway of Central and South-Eastern Europe in the 18th – first half of the 20th century. Special attention is paid to the period of the Second world war and the post-war peace settlement. Based on the documents of the Russian archives, the plans of the western allies to ensure their political and economic dominance in the Danube basin, in particular the re-establishment of an internationalized river regime under the control of non-coastal states, are shown, analyzed «factor Danube» in connection with sharp discussions on determining the nature of governments in Bulgaria and Romania at the stage of signing the Armistice Agreements and attempts by the West to equalize the capabilities of coastal and non-coastal countries in solving problems Danube Management. Materials of the sessions of the Council of Foreign Ministers (SMF) in London, Paris, New York, Paris Peace Conference are presented. The preparation of the Danube conference of 1948 in Belgrade, the development of a coherent position of the people’s democratic states were studied, the atmosphere of discussion and adoption of the Belgrade Convention was reproduced. The conclusion is made about the relevance of the Danube problem today, reflecting, as in the past, cooperation and rivalry, strategic risks, different «statuses» and the capabilities of the Danube states and their various national interests.
Keywords: Danube problem, legal, economic and political aspects, «factor Danube» in international relations, post-war peaceful settlement
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