874.00/8–945
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Dunn) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary: In the attached note from the British Embassy22 the British inform us of their intention to state publicly British objection to the Bulgarian electoral law on the basis of which the Bulgarian Government has announced that it will conduct elections on August 26, 1945. The British inquire whether we would be prepared to take similar action.
While we agree in general with the British attitude that the elections are not likely to return a representative democratic government, we feel that it is preferable not to take a stand in opposition to the electoral law specifically and, if you approve, we propose to instruct our representative at Sofia to convey to the Bulgarian Government the views of this Government on the general lines set forth in the attached telegram.23 At the same time we think it advisable that we make our position clear before the elections take place and consequently propose the issuance of a public statement containing the views of this Government as expressed in the second paragraph of that telegram.
We would inform British Embassy on this action.24