874.00/6–145: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 1—1:15 p.m.]
288. The final sentence of Harriman’s 1819,77 Rpt-is [repeated as] 47 to this mission, indicates the time still left to us for direct negotiations with the Bulgarian Govt, in the Dimitrov case may be of very [Page 244] short duration. I suggest that we still have one good card to play, namely, that of publicity, and that now is the moment to play it. If after consultation with the Brit Govt, the Dept could instruct me to inform the Bulgarian PriMin that the US and UK Govts feel they can no longer keep the facts of the Dimitrov and the related Racheva case from the public the PriMin might make final effort for a solution that would present matters in the best light possible for Bulgaria. Any such instructions should state that the facts were to be disseminated by both the American and Brit broadcasting systems. Such a statement to the Bulgarian authorities would of course come immediately to the attention of Moscow and might bolster the representations being made there by Harriman. The acting Brit political rep is telegraphing in a similar sense to London.
If Dept thinks well of this suggestion an immediate reply to that effect would be helpful.
Rptd to Moscow as 146.