Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume III

740.00119 EW (39)/2645½

The Embassy of the Soviet Union to the Department of State ⁷⁵

Aide-Mémoire

To the American Ambassador in Moscow in April were transmitted copies of notes of the Soviet Government, handed to Mr. Stamenov, Bulgarian Minister at Moscow, on April 17⁷⁶ and of the reply note of the Bulgarian Government, transmitted by Mr. Stamenov to Mr. V. Molotov, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, on April 24.⁷⁶ In reply to the above-mentioned note of the Bulgarian Government, on April 26 Mr. Molotov handed to Mr. Stamenov a note,⁷⁷ in which there was pointed out, that in spite of the statement of the Soviet Government to the effect that it has in its possession authentic facts regarding Germany’s use of Bulgarian ports and aerodromes in the war against the Soviet Union, and that the Bulgarian Government in its reply note of April 24 has restrained itself to bare denials of these facts. There was pointed out further, that the proposal of the Bulgarian Government to submit it, for the purpose of checking, more detailed information, was not acceptable to the Soviet Government, since onesided checking of facts by the Bulgarian authorities cannot be regarded trustworthy by the Soviet Government. In this note, the Soviet Government pointed out the fact, that the Soviet Consulate at Varna was closed in fall of 1942 on request of the Bulgarian authorities while the Consulates of countries, friendly to Germany continue to exist at Varna and other ports.

The Soviet Government has also pointed out the fact that for more than two years the Bulgarian authorities have denied the Soviet representatives at Sofia entrance to Black Sea and Danube ports. It was stated further, that, if the Bulgarian Government is striving to ascertain the facts and check them, this should be done not only by the representatives of the Bulgarian Government but by the representatives of the Soviet Government as well. In view of this, as it was said in the note, the Soviet Government deems it necessary to reestablish the Soviet Consulate at Varna, and also to set up Soviet Consulates at Burgas and Ruscuk on the Danube, and that the presence in these cities of Soviet Consulates could make it possible for the Soviet representatives together with the representatives of Bulgaria to carry out the necessary checking of facts on the spot and carry out such checking in the future if there will be a necessity for it.

In reply to the above-mentioned note of the Soviet Government of April 26, Mr. Stamenov handed to Mr. Molotov a note on May 6, in which the Bulgarian Government made an attempt to justify the closing down of the Soviet Consulate at Varna by the interruption of economic relations between the U.S.S.R. and Bulgaria referring to the “juridical nature of trade consulates” and put the question of setting up Soviet consulates in Burgas and Ruscuk in subordination to the resumption of Bulgaro-Soviet economic relations. The Bulgarian Government promised to consider in the most favorable manner the wishes of the Soviet Government regarding the establishment of Soviet Consulates at Varna, Burgas and Ruscuk after the resumption of economic relations between the U.S.S.R. and Bulgaria. It was pointed out in the note that Bulgaria desired to maintain “correct, loyal and friendly relations with the Soviet Union.”

In reply to the above-mentioned note the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S.S.R. in Sofia on May 9 handed a note to D. Bashiloff.

It was said in the note that the Soviet Government did not interrupt trade relations with Bulgaria and that the economic ties with the latter had been interrupted due to the military operations on the Black Sea, and that the reference of the Bulgarian Government to the juridical nature of trade consulates was groundless, since trade consulates as such do not exist and Consulates do not deal with commercial matters. It was confirmed that the wish of the Soviet Government in regard to setting up Soviet Consulates at Varna, Ruscuk and Burgas was based on the necessity to make it possible for the Soviet representatives to check together with the Bulgarian representatives the facts relating to the utilization of Bulgarian ports and aerodromes by the Germans in military operations against the U.S.S.R.

The Soviet Government pointed out that the statement of the Bulgarian Government about its readiness to consider the proposal of the Soviet Government concerning the setting up Soviet Consulates at Varna, Burgas and Ruscuk not before the economic relations between Bulgaria and the Soviet Union are resumed, as a refusal to meet the wishes of the Soviet Government, and as the intention of the Bulgarian Government to render aid to Germany in the future as well by letting her utilize Bulgarian aerodromes and ports against the Soviet Union. It was pointed out further that the Soviet Government insists on the meeting its wishes to reestablish the Consulate at Varna and setting up Consulates at Burgas and Ruscuk.

On May 15 Mr. Bashiloff handed a reply of the Bulgarian Government to the above-mentioned note, to the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S.S.R. in Sofia.

In this note the Bulgarian Government stated that it noted with satisfaction that the Soviet Government admits that it has not interrupted trade relations with Bulgaria and that the economic relations with whom were interrupted because of military operations on the Black Sea. The Bulgarian Government stated that it considered it possible to develop economic relations with the Soviet Union through Turkey and asked the Soviet Government to consider again the arguments expressed in the note of the Bulgarian Government of May 6. The Bulgarian Government stressed again that it desired to maintain friendly relations between Bulgaria and the U.S.S.R.

In reply to the above note of the Bulgarian Government, the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S.S.R. handed on May 17 to Mr. Bashiloff, a reply note of the Soviet Government, in which the Soviet Government drew the attention of the Bulgarian Government to the incompatibility of facts of converting ports Varna and Burgas into German bases, utilized by Germany against the U.S.S.R., with normal relations between the U.S.S.R. and Bulgaria. The Soviet Government proposed to the Bulgarian Government to stop immediately the utilization of Bulgarian territory and Bulgarian ports by Fascist Germany against the Soviet Union.

It was pointed out in the note that in view of wholesale denials of these facts by the Bulgarian Government, the Soviet Government expressed a wish to reestablish the closed[,] on request of the Bulgarian Government, Soviet Consulate at Varna and set up Soviet Consulates at Burgas and Ruscuk with the purpose of making it possible for the representatives of the U.S.S.R. and Bulgaria to check the facts on the spot and carry out such checking in the future, in case of such a necessity and that the Bulgarian Government has restrained itself from a direct reply to this wish of the Soviet Government and has subordinated the question of setting up Soviet Consulates to the resumption of trade relations between Bulgaria and the U.S.S.R., although there is no connection between the resumption of trade relations with the establishment of Soviet Consulates in Bulgaria. In view of this, the Soviet Government pointed out that the suggestion of the Bulgarian Government did not have any practical meaning due to military actions on the Black Sea and that the Soviet Government’s statement regarding placing at the disposal of Hitlerite Germany Bulgarian ports and aerodromes cannot be denied and that the Bulgarian Government is seeking out pretexts to evade from a direct reply to the proposals of the Soviet Government regarding setting up Soviet Consulates in Bulgaria, and that, in view of the aforesaid, the Soviet Government insists that the Bulgarian Government meet the proposal of the Soviet Government regarding the reestablishment of the Soviet Consulate in Varna and setting up Soviet Consulates in Burgas and Ruscuk without further delay. The Soviet Government has warned the Government of Bulgaria that without meeting the wishes of the Soviet Government, the latter will consider it impossible to maintain relations with Bulgaria as a country which gives assistance and intends to give it in the future to Hitlerite Germany in its war against the Soviet Union.

Washington , May 27, 1944.

75. The Department reported receipt of this aide-mémoire in telegram 1403, June 2, midnight, to Moscow and summarized the document in telegrams 1481–1482, June 12, 89 p.m. (740.00119 E.W. 1939/2664a, 2653, 2671a).
76. See telegram 1468, April 27, 7 p.m., from Moscow, p. 323.
76. See telegram 1468, April 27, 7 p.m., from Moscow, p. 323.
77. See telegram 1727, May 15, 2 p.m., from Moscow, p. 327.