740.00119 EAC/10–1244: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
8526. Your 8651, October 12. Ambassador Harriman has reported that British and Soviet representatives have discussed in Moscow the revised draft of Soviet proposals for Bulgarian armistice terms, Harriman participating only as an observer in the absence of instructions. It was agreed that the results of the discussions should be transmitted to their respective representatives on the EAC for final consideration, with the understanding that Strang would be requested to make available to you the text of the Russian draft and a detailed account of the Moscow discussions.
The Department has given its concurrence in the agreement reached at Moscow regarding the communication to the Bulgarian Government regarding evacuation of Allied territory, namely, that the last sentence be rephrased to follow the language adopted in connection with the preliminary Hungarian conditions. We accept Moscow as the venue and are glad to know that the Soviet Government has agreed that SACMED or his representative should participate in the negotiations with the Bulgarians and in the signature of the armistice.
The Department does not, however, feel that the new text of Article XVIII as quoted in your 8651 would be satisfactory. We agree with you that it is difficult to see how this new draft represents any improvement on previous language, including the original Soviet draft, and that it affords no distinction whatever between the two periods of control, and completely overlooks the general obligations to be assumed by the Bulgarian Government to carry out the Control Commission’s [Page 456] instructions. The fact that Mr. Eden’s interpretive comment, to which Mr. Molotov is reported to have agreed, was in any way necessary seems to us to demonstrate the inadequacy of the language of this article. If the word “participation” means what Mr. Eden hopes it does, we think the text should be made to say so, while the drafting is still in process. Even this interpretation gives us less than we feel justified in expecting. We therefore strongly prefer your compromise draft as included in the text quoted in your 8547 October 10. If it should be necessary to make further modifications in order to harmonize the several views, we would be willing, for example, to accept a provision for Soviet chairmanship during the second period following the cessation of hostilities.
Sent to London; repeated to Moscow and AmPolAd8 (Caserta).
- American Political Adviser.↩