740.00119 EW/8–1444: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:10 p.m.]
6533. Department’s 6385, August 12, 3 p.m. In accordance with your telegram 5878, July 27, 2 p.m.3 received July 28 the Embassy addressed a letter on that date to the Foreign Office paraphrasing the substance of the telegram and inviting comment. The comment referred to in your telegram 6385 was received by us in a letter from the Foreign Office dated August 5 and delivered August 8. In it the Foreign Office, pending receipt of views of British Chiefs of Staff, stated its belief that the Bulgarian approach in its present form is of no great value. It also stated that the Bulgarian emissary should be informed that if his Government desires to leave the war it should send to Cairo a fully accredited envoy to learn from the Allied representatives the terms of surrender. The Foreign Office reply added that the Bulgarian Government would be well advised to undertake promptly steps to break diplomatic relations with Germany and also to withdraw its forces from both Serbia and Greece. The reply placed stress on making the Bulgarians aware that they will be required to evacuate Greece. In conclusion the reply expressed a desire to learn any comments of the Soviets on this peace feeler although the latter are not concerned directly, being not at war with Bulgaria.
Your telegram 6167, August 4, midnight4 was received on August 5. On the same day I addressed a letter to Strang5 informing him of the substance of that telegram. Since EAC document (44) 21 of July 26 (see despatch No. 17135 of July 27)6 is before the Commission, I sent Gousev7 a similar letter also on August 5 to inform him of our views, stating my understanding that a similar approach was being made to his Government through the American Ambassador in Moscow. On August 7, Gousev acknowledged my letter without comment.
The British have not replied to my letter of August 5. In an informal conversation with Strang on August 9, it was pointed out to him that the Foreign Office letter of August 5 crossed with my letter of the same date. Strang indicated his belief that a reply to my letter would be forthcoming shortly. He also expressed a belief that the [Page 357] Foreign Office would wish to inform the Soviet Ambassador of its future reply to us, parallel with my letter to Gousev of August 5. Further informal inquiry made today at the Foreign Office indicates that the British Chiefs of Staff have not replied to Foreign Office query but that the Foreign Office expects shortly to be in a position to reply to our inquiry of August 5. I shall continue to press for an early reply and should also appreciate any information you may have regarding Soviet views in the matter.
- Not printed; it summarized Bulgarian reports sent in telegrams from Istanbul (740.00119 E.W./7–2744).↩
- See footnote 99, p. 354.↩
- Sir William Strang, Assistant Under Secretary of State in the British Foreign Office, and representative on the European Advisory Commission.↩
- See footnote 86, p. 345.↩
- Feodor Tarasovitch Gousev, Soviet Ambassador in the United Kingdom, and representative on the European Advisory Commission.↩