874.00/6–145: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 2—11:22 a.m.]
1857. Re Embs 1811, May 30, 5 p.m.78 Reply was received yesterday from Molotov to my letter of Mar [May] 2979 in Dimitrov case. Dept will recall that this letter set forth our hope that Soviet Govt would instruct its reps at Sofia to associate themselves with Barnes in requesting Bulgarian authorities to relieve him of custody of Dimitrov, but in circumstances which would assure the latter’s safety. We also stated our view that Dimitrov’s lack of Fascist sympathies and his democratic sentiments could not be doubted and invited Soviet Govt to submit any information to the contrary it might have.
In his reply Molotov refers to Vyshinski’s answer to my letters of May 26 and 27 (re my 1819, May 30, midnight, London 233, Sofia 47) and says that the Soviet answer was already given in that communication. He says it is clear from Vyshinski’s letter that info at disposal of People’s Commissariat gives no grounds for raising question of measures to assure the safety of Dimitrov. Therefore he states Soviet Govt sees no reason why its representative in Bulgaria should request Bulgarian authorities to take such measures. With respect to my statement about our information concerning Dimitrov, Molotov simply states that information made public about Dimitrov’s [Page 245] activities seems to him sufficient to give an adequate idea about him.
Sent to Dept 1857, rptd to London as 238, Caserta as 107, Sofia as 49.