874.002/8–1844: Telegram
The Consul General at Istanbul (Berry) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 18—5:31 p.m.]
483R99. Yesterday’s speech by Prime Minister Ivan Bagryanov at opening of seventh extraordinary session of 25th Bulgarian Parliament is an important expose of the present Bulgarian situation. Recommendations to Parliament in line with his speech are expected to follow immediately. Parliament meets for business this afternoon.
The speech confirms the view taken by this office of the Bagryanov government from the beginning (see my telegram No. 330 of June 3, 4 p.m.), namely, that this Government will not commit Bulgaria further to the German cause but on the contrary will look out for the independence and best interests of Bulgaria. Thus, the Bagryanov government has now publicly verified the fact that it has turned a political corner and has started in an entirely new direction. The Prime Minister’s speech yesterday was a further development of what he said in his first speech as Premier (see my telegram No. 339 of June 8, 5 p.m.). He mentions this himself, saying that anyone who heard his first speech could have seen what he meant. Yesterday the Prime Minister suggested action by the Government on several points mentioned in the statement brought back from Sofia by Balabanov and reported in my telegram 429, July 21, 10 a.m. These are a political amnesty, a change in the treatment of the Jews and an effort to get Bulgaria out of the war without further bloodshed—all of which he will probably now recommend to Parliament for action.
Bagryanov said nothing specific on the territorial question, leaving that field entirely open. It is difficult to see how he could have said as much as he did in his speech yesterday if he had not been sure that the Germans cannot exercise final pressure on Bulgaria. This raises the question of to what extent Bulgaria has explored her present situation with Russia.
[Page 358]A summary of the main features of the speech is contained in an immediately following telegram in clear.8 Further discussion of the speech as well as other indications of the present Bulgarian position with respect to the Allies is being forwarded by airmail despatch tomorrow.9
Repeated to AmEmBalk as my No. 9. Please repeat to Murphy.