740.00119 E.W./8–2544: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
6866. Department has tentatively approved the draft terms for a Bulgarian armistice as communicated in your 6928 August 25 midnight, pending their clearance by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In view of the widespread civil strife which might result from the immediate withdrawal of Bulgarian forces from occupied Allied territory, however, it suggests that as negotiations proceed consideration be given to the desirability of adding to Article III the clause “their withdrawal to be carried out according to a schedule laid down by the Allied occupation authorities”. The draft terms are being communicated in some detail to Ankara, Cairo and Moscow. Your attention is called to the Department’s 6820, August 25, 8 p.m.,33 indicating the [Page 373] possibility that the negotiations may be held in Ankara rather than Cairo.
Department approves your position that, at the discretion of the Allied negotiators, the Bulgarian delegates may be given assurances of recognition by our Governments of the independence of Bulgaria. Department likewise agrees that the Greek and Yugoslav Governments should be invited to assent to the armistice terms, preferring that they should not participate as signatories. Accordingly all other Governments at war with Bulgaria should be informed of the terms at the time of their acceptance.
- Not printed.↩