740.00119 European War/2125: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

619. Department’s 486 March 4. A telegram from Winant45 indicates that the British Ambassador to Moscow has been informed by Molotov that the Soviet Government does not wish the question of terms of surrender for Bulgaria to be treated in the European Advisory Commission.

In as much as the Soviet Government has instructed its Ambassador in Cairo to join the American and British representatives in listening to what the Bulgarians have to say in case a proposal to send a Bulgarian mission out should eventuate, the Department assumes that Winant’s report should not be taken as signifying a lack of Soviet interest in the Bulgarian matter but rather as an indication that the Soviet Government is not disposed formally to prepare or discuss surrender terms for a country with which it is not at war. Since, however, discussion of the Bulgarian surrender terms clearly falls within the terms of reference of the European Advisory Commission the Soviet Government would presumably have no reason to object to the presentation and discussion of such terms by the American and British members provided the Soviet member, while having every opportunity to make any observations representing the Soviet view, were not expected to participate actively in the discussions.

With the foregoing in mind please endeavor to ascertain the extent to which the Soviet Government desires to take part in the development of the Bulgarian terms and whether it would have any objection to the procedure outlined above for handling this matter in the Commission.

Hull
  1. Telegram 2023, March 13, 7 p.m., from London, p. 313.