840.48 Refugees/3816: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

3169. Department’s 1182, May 18. British Legation informs me that present status of this matter is as follows:

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Presumably upper [under?] German pressure Bulgarian Government has lately adopted stiffer attitude. Minister of Interior has intimated to Swiss Chargé d’Affaires at Sofia that Bulgarian Government has decided to close Turkish-Bulgarian frontier to all Jews. Chargé d’Affaires reporting this development to Swiss Government on May 18 added that it is impossible to take further steps to evacuate Jews from Bulgaria to Palestine.

This was reported to F. O. by British Legation on May 21. I was told that I would be advised of British Government’s reaction. Will report further.

Harrison