740.00119 European War 1939/2182: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador to the Yugoslav Government in Exile (MacVeagh), at Cairo
6 Yugos. Your 44, February 24. The Department received early this month information to the effect that the Bulgarian Minister to Turkey had indicated the desire of the Bulgarian Regents, Prime Minister and opposition leaders to initiate discussions with the United States Government with a view to arranging for Bulgaria to join [Page 303] the United Nations. It was proposed that a Bulgarian mission proceed to Istanbul to discuss the conditions under which the Bulgarian army would collaborate with the Allies as a combatant force. Competent American and British quarters are in agreement that the Bulgarians should be advised to send a fully qualified mission to meet American, Soviet and British representatives not at Istanbul but at some other point to be indicated, possibly Cairo or Cyprus. The Soviet Government has been asked for its agreement to this plan.
Should it develop that conversations with the Bulgarians are to be held in Cairo you will be authorized to join your British and Soviet colleagues in the discussions and to designate in your discretion a member of your staff to participate on your behalf and under your instructions in any meetings not attended by both your British and your Soviet colleagues. While you may now consider yourself as having such authorization in hand for use should events be precipitated unexpectedly, the Department anticipates that it will be able to provide you with more detailed instructions should this tentative proposal take definite form.