740.00119 Control (Bulgaria)/12–1344: Telegram

The American Representative in Bulgaria ( Barnes ) to the Secretary of State

24. General Crane and I are aware of the views expressed by Mr. Eden75 with respect to the ACC in Bulgaria and to the treatment by the Russian of the British delegation thereon, which were contained in an instruction to Mr. Balfour76 for communication to Mr. Molotov. It is our understanding that the Department has been informed of the contents of this instruction and requested by the British Ambassador in Washington77 to make similar representations in Moscow.

It would be most helpful to the General and to me if we were kept informed of the development of the Department’s views with respect to the Russian handling of the ACC in Bulgaria and the justifiable [Page 503] discontent of the British to date. While it is clear that the Russians are apparently more anxious to please us than the British in small things and therefore are more agreeable in applying to us such restrictions as have annoyed General Oxley, the fact remains that to date the ACC exists largely in name only, and is in fact, part and parcel of the Russian military command here and not a separate and distinct Allied (Soviet) body.

Repeated to Moscow and Caserta.

Barnes
  1. Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
  2. John Balfour, British Chargé in the Soviet Union.
  3. Lord Halifax.