Office of the Historian

740.00119 EW/10–1044: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State

London, October 10, 1944—8 p.m.
[Received October 11—2:20 a.m.]

8547. Personal for the Secretary and Under Secretary. The Prime Minister and Eden plan to do what they can to expedite business of the EAC. Gousev went to Moscow for the same purpose. Among other things Eden planned to take up with Molotov the differences with respect to the Bulgarian armistice terms.

It was my understanding with Eden that the negotiations would continue through the European Advisory Commission.

I thought you might like to have the latest United States draft of Bulgarian armistice terms which we discussed with Strang and Gousev. We have kept you informed regarding the individual items but I thought it would be convenient if you had a full draft.

The British and United States delegations attach great importance to the substance of article XVIII which was to do with the Allied Control Commission but that article has not yet been accepted by the Soviet delegation. The British, I believe, would concede substituting “in the interests of” for “on behalf of”, accept the signature of a Russian general, and agree that the armistice be signed in Moscow but they do not want to make these concessions unless forced to by the refusal of the Russians to reach agreement. Time is on the side of [Page 444] the Russians. They are occupying more and more of Bulgaria every day.

The text of the latest United States draft follows:

“The Bulgarian Government accept the armistice conditions presented by the Governments of the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America, acting on behalf of all the United Nations at war with Bulgaria.

Accordingly, the representative of the Soviet High Command, General . . . . . , and the representative of the Supreme Allied Command in the Mediterranean, General . . . . . , duly authorized thereto by the Governments of the United Kingdom, the USSR and the United States of America, on the one hand, and the representatives of the Bulgarian Government, . . . . . , furnished with due powers, on the other hand, have signed the following terms:

1.
(a) Bulgaria having ceased hostilities with the USSR on . . . . . . and severed relations with Germany on . . . . . . . , will cease hostilities against all the other United Nations and will sever relations with the satellites of Germany.
(b) Bulgaria will disarm the German and Hungarian Armed Forces in Bulgaria and hand them over as prisoners of war. The Bulgarian Government will also intern nationals of Germany and her satellites.
(c) The Bulgarian Government will maintain and make available such land, sea and air forces as may be specified for service under the general orders of the Allied (Soviet) High Command. Such forces will not be used on Allied territory except with the prior consent of the Allied Government concerned.
2.
Bulgarian Armed Forces and officials having withdrawn from the territory of Greece and Yugoslavia in accordance with the precondition accepted by the Bulgarian Government on . . . . . . . , the Bulgarian authorities will immediately take steps to withdraw from Greek and Yugoslav territory Bulgarian nationals who were citizens of Bulgaria on January 1, 1941, and to repeal all legislative and administrative provisions relating to the annexation or incorporation in Bulgaria of Greek or Yugoslav territory.
3.
The Bulgarian Government will arrange to furnish the Soviet and other Allied Forces with free traffic facilities over Bulgarian territory in any direction, if in the opinion of the Allied (Soviet) High Command the military situation so requires, the Bulgarian Government giving such traffic every possible assistance with their own means of communication and at their own expense by land, water and in the air.
4.
The Bulgarian Government will immediately release all Allied prisoners of war and internees. Pending further instructions, the Bulgarian Government will provide at their own expense all Allied prisoners of war and internees and displaced persons and refugees, including nationals of Greece and Yugoslavia, with adequate food, clothing, medical service and hygienic requirements as well as with means of transport for the return of any such persons to their own country.
5.
The Bulgarian Government will immediately release, irrespective of citizenship and nationality, all persons held in confinement in connection [Page 445] with their activities in favor of the United Nations or because of their sympathies with the United Nations cause or for racial or religious reasons, and will repeal all discriminatory legislation and disabilities arising therefrom.
6.
Bulgaria will cooperate in the apprehension and trial of persons accused of war crimes.
7.
The Bulgarian Government undertake to dissolve immediately all pro-Hitler or other Fascist political, military, para military and other organizations on Bulgarian territory conducting propaganda hostile to the United Nations and not to tolerate the existence of such organizations in future.
8.
The publication, introduction and distribution in Bulgaria of periodical or non-periodical literature, the presentation of theatrical performances or exhibition of cinema films, the operation of wireless stations, post offices, telegraph and telephones will take place in agreement with the Allied Control Commission.
9.
The Bulgarian Government will restore all property of the United Nations and their nationals, including Greek and Yugoslav property, and will make such reparation for loss and damage caused by the war to the United Nations, including Greece and Yugoslavia, as may be prescribed. The Bulgarian Government will not permit the disposal of external Bulgarian assets, or the disposal of internal Bulgarian assets to foreign governments or foreign nationals except by authorization of the Allies.
10.
The Bulgarian Government will restore all the rights and interests of the United Nations and their nationals in Bulgaria.
11.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to return to the Soviet Union and to Greece and Yugoslavia and other United Nations, by the dates specified by the Allied Control Commission and in a good state of preservation, all valuables and materials belonging to state, public or cooperative organizations, enterprises, institutions or individual citizens removed by Germany and Bulgaria from United Nations territories during the war and located now in Bulgaria, such as: factory and works equipment, locomotives, railway wagons, tractors, motor vehicles, historic monuments, museum treasures and any other property.
12.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to place at the disposal of the Allied (Soviet) High Command as booty all war material of Germany and her satellites located on Bulgarian territory, including vessels in the fleets of Germany and her satellites located in Bulgarian waters.
13.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake not to permit the removal or expropriation of any property (including valuables and currency), belonging to Germany and Hungary or their nationals or to persons residing in their territory or on territory occupied by them without the authorization of the Allied Control Commission. The Government of Bulgaria will safeguard such property in the manner specified by the Allied Control Commission.
14.
The Government of Bulgaria undertake to hand over to the Allied (Soviet) High Command all vessels belonging to the United Nations which are in Bulgarian ports, no matter at whose disposal they are held, for the use of the Allied (Soviet) High Command during the war against Germany and Hungary in the common interest of the Allies, the vessels to be restored subsequently to their owners.
The Bulgarian Government will bear full material responsibility for and will make good any damage to or destruction of all the aforesaid property up to the moment of its transfer to the Allied (Soviet) High Command.
15.
Bulgaria shall make regular money payments in Bulgarian currency and supply goods (fuel, foodstuffs, et cetera), facilities and services such as the Allies may require for the prosecution of the war.
16.
Bulgarian merchant vessels, whether in Bulgarian or foreign waters, shall be subject to the operational control of the Allied (Soviet) High Command for use in the general interest of the Allies.
17.
In case of need the Bulgarian Government will arrange for the utilization in Bulgarian territory of industrial and transport enterprises and of means of communications, power stations, public utility enterprises and facilities, stocks of fuel and other materials in accordance with instructions issued during the Armistice by the Allied Control Commission.
18.
During the period of hostilities in Europe an Allied Control Commission will regulate and supervise the execution of the present terms under the general direction of the Allied (Soviet) High Command. Upon the cessation of hostilities in Europe and until the conclusion of peace with Bulgaria, an Allied Control Commission will regulate and supervise the execution of the armistice according to the instructions of the Governments of the United States of America, Soviet Union and United Kingdom; the Bulgarian Government will carry out the instructions of the Allies for giving effect to the armistice and will meet any further Allied requirements for the reestablishment of peace and security.
19.
The present terms will come into force on their signature.

Done at Ankara in quadruplicate, in Russian, English and Bulgarian, the Russian and English texts being authentic.

Date . . . . . . . 1944.

By authority of the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the USSR: _________

Representative of the Soviet High Command.

By authority of the Bulgarian Government: _________

Winant