874.00/7–2745: Telegram
No. 822
The Representative in
Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Acting Secretary of
State1
us urgent
385. Next following telegram (3862) is translated text of letter sent yesterday by Nikola Petkov, regularly elected secretary of Bulgarian National Agrarian Union, Asen Stamboliisky regularly [Page 723] elected editor of the union’s newspaper and Georgi Yurdonov, Chief Agrarian Prime Minister [sic], with copies to chairmen and members of ACC and to Regents.
Document constitutes in effect an appeal to the three principal Allies to assure Allied control over forthcoming elections and application to Bulgaria of Yalta declaration on Liberated Europe. It is the fulfilment of the prediction of Senior Regent Ganev, reported in my telegram No. 382, July 25.3 The document deals clearly but in an entirely unprovocative manner with every doubtful point in the present political situation. These points have been elaborated on in my recent political telegrams to Department. I belivee that I can say without any reservation whatever that the letter accurately reflects the election views of all democratic currents of opinion in the country; also that the great mass of the Bulgarian people is democratically minded and urgently desires that the elections be held as requested in the letter to the Prime Minister.4 The “independents” in the present government, such as Finance Minister, Stoyanov, and the Cheshmeddieff Socialists are making common cause with the Agrarian leaders behind the letter and yesterday they and the Petkov Agrarians succeeded in filing joint opposition list of candidates in most of the electoral districts.
If yesterday’s appeals or [for] the application of the Yalta Declaration to Bulgaria and for Allied control over the forthcoming elections receives the attention at Potsdam that it merits, the Bulgarian political situation should take on a much brighter aspect. I, therefore, urge most strongly that the Department give this appeal its closest attention and that US influence at Potsdam be exerted to the utmost in support of the appeal. The first results of the document are bound to be repressive measures by the Communists acting through the militia. Early encouraging signs of US support should do much to sustain Bulgarian Democrats in the courage which they have at long last found.
Repeated to Moscow as No. 199.
- The gist of this message was included in two telegrams from Grew to Byrnes: No. 150 of July 28 (file No. 800.00 Summaries/7–2845) and No. 156 of July 30 (file No. 874.00/7–2745).↩
- Document No. 823.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Kimon Georgiev.↩