740.00/1112: Telegram

The Chargé in Bulgaria (Millard) to the Secretary of State

25. My 24, April 22, 10 a.m.38 The Chief of the Political Section informed me today that in response to my request for a statement on the President’s message he was now authorized by the Prime Minister to inform me of his Government’s views which he then enumerated as follows: (1) Bulgaria is a pacific nation; (2) Bulgaria’s wars had been fought only to liberate Bulgarians living under foreign domination; (3) Bulgaria is grateful to the United States for her frequently demonstrated attitude; (4) Bulgaria was despoiled of her territory by the peace treaties which however provided for revision; (5) Bulgaria has always hoped for the peaceful adjustment of her frontier claims in accordance with the treaties; (6) the Bulgarian Government recognizes and approves the humanitarian ideal which the President’s message contained.

He then stated that, keeping in mind the first five points outlined above he wished to observe that if it was the intention of the message to crystallize the status quo then of course Bulgaria would be displeased. [Page 155] Except for uneasiness lest the message might later be used by those wishing to deprive Bulgaria of her revisionist hopes, the Bulgarian Government approves of it.

In the discussion which followed Mr. Altinoff acknowledged that the message had specifically suggested that interested governments could at the same time undertake such political discussions as they might consider necessary or advisable but observed that he was not authorized to deviate from the points enumerated above.

He said that the Foreign Office would give no publicity to the above outline of his Government’s views and requested that it not be given out by the Department without again consulting with his Government since he might wish to “re-edit” it. For the present the Foreign Office preferred to leave the matter in the foregoing form and declined to formulate a more precise statement.

It was clear that the German Government has approached the Bulgarian Government in connection with this message but Mr. Altinoff chose not to discuss this point.

Millard
  1. Not printed.