874.00/8–1645: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:10 p.m.]
444. The Prime Minister’s press declaration, reported in my immediately preceding telegram (443, August 16) reveals how heady [Page 290] is the wine of Russian support to neurotic temperament of a Communist-dominated Bulgarian Govt led by a confirmed totalitarian.
For Georgiev’s views which in my opinion explain to a great extent this extraordinary statement of the leader of a govt existing under armistice terms, please see my telegram 399, July 30.29 I believe my telegram 431, August 11 throws considerable light of [on] Prime Minister’s obvious total disregard of those passages in President Truman’s speech on the Berlin Conference that relate to ex-satellites and to position of the US in world affairs and determination of US to exert its tremendous influence in support of “a society of self-governing men.” The obvious failure of Minister of Foreign Affairs to give Prime Minister some real insight into actual state of world affairs is I think explained to great extent by my telegrams 416, Aug 4 and 383, July 25. As for determination of Govt to go to any lengths, see my 426, Aug 7.
My own reaction to Prime Minister’s declaration is Bulgarian Govt should now be asked by us to explain Prime Minister’s action in light of existence of armistice and President Truman’s following statement:
“At Yalta it was agreed you will recall the three Govts would assume a common responsibility in helping to reestablish in liberated and satellite nations of Europe govts broadly representative of the democratic elements in population. That responsibility still stands. We all recognize it as joint responsibility of the three Govts. It was reaffirmed in Berlin declarations on Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary. These nations are not to be spheres of influence for any one power. They now are governed by ACCs (Allied Control Commissions) composed of representatives of the three Govts that met at Yalta and Berlin. These control commissions it is true have not been functioning completely to our satisfaction; but improved procedures were agreed upon at Berlin.”
Also I believe and General Crane agrees with me that General Biryusov should now be asked to state when headquarters proposes to hold a meeting of the ACC to consider the situation dealt with in my note of Aug 13th a copy of which was conveyed immediately to ACC for its information.
However, whatever the Dept may decide in the circumstances to do the fact remains that views expressed by US Govt on Aug 13th have brought true state of affairs in Bulgaria into open. The curtain behind which the Communists, Zveno and Russians have conspired to destroy all opposition to a one party totalitarian regime has been torn aside. The whole of the Bulgarian people will talk now and from the words of the Prime Minister himself to what extent of Sept 9 has become a police Govt of type that formerly ruled their destinies, the main difference between present regime and former one [Page 291] being merely that masters of today look to Moscow for guidance and inspiration instead of to Berlin. They will also know from very words of Prime Minister that US remains firm in its opposition to police Govt and as defender of democratic processes.
A detail worth noting is fact Prime Minister mentions written protest of opposition of July 26 and yet complains it is only in these last 10 days of electoral campaign that opposition comes out against elections on Aug. 26. Text of my note of Aug 13 has not yet been published although Prime Minister promised last night it would be.30
Repeated to Moscow as 229.
- Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. ii, p. 728.↩
- In telegram 454, August 18, Mr. Barnes reported that the text of his note of August 13 was published in all Sofia newspapers the morning of August 18 (874.00/8–1845).↩