740.00119 EW/7–644: Telegram
The Consul General at Istanbul (Berry) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 7—6:55 p.m.]
400R88. The Bulgarian83 who provided the information for my telegrams 413 of October 22, 2 p.m.,84 201, March 25, 11 p.m. and 256 of April 21, 2 p.m. asked on July 4 to see a member of the staff of this office.
He told him that he had been certain when the Bagryanov government came into office that it would direct its primary efforts to save Bulgaria from its present dangerous situation and would seek a way to withdraw from the war at the earliest opportunity. He said that he has consistently represented to Filov the seriousness of Bulgaria’s present position and warned of the danger of delay in taking the initiative in coming to terms with the Allies.
Now he continued on the basis of his last report to Filov made about June 25 Balabanov, the Bulgarian Minister to Turkey, has received instructions from Foreign Minister Draganov to return to Sofia immediately to discuss further the statements made by our informant and to deliver other despatches from him on the same subject. The informant said that Balabanov will leave Istanbul July 8 for Sofia. He regards Balabanov’s return to Sofia under these conditions as indicative of the present attitude of the Bulgarian Government and believes that he will return shortly with some communication from his Government to the American Government relative to withdrawal of Bulgaria from the war. In reply the informant was told (reference Department’s 233 of October 30, 8 p.m84) that this office would forward by the most secret means any communication he might be authorized to make on the instruction of his Government.
Repeated to Amrep Algiers for Murphy as my No. 37 and true reading sent to MacVeagh in Cairo.