740.00119 EW/8–1244: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 13—3:15 p.m.]
2971. Reference my 2806, July 29, 8 p.m. Last night I asked Molotov what the Soviet Government’s attitude was regarding the recent peace feelers by Bulgarians. He said that the matter was still being studied and that the Soviet Government had not come to a conclusion. Although there was no doubt that the situation had changed and that at some time Bulgaria would move, he did not know whether the situation had developed sufficiently favorably to take the matter seriously at this time. The Turkish move in breaking relations with Germany2 had undoubtedly had an influence in Bulgaria and other factors especially the military were at work. He said that he would let me know as soon as they had made up their minds.
In reply to his question as to how seriously we took the feeler, I told him that we had not sufficient information to make up our minds and were counting on his advice as his sources of information were so much more intimate. We felt however that the door should always be kept open and any serious move on the part of Bulgaria encouraged.
- See press release issued by the Department of State, August 2, vol. v, p. 897.↩