740.00119 EW/8–1845: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes)
260. Following statement has been released today:
“Statement by the Secretary of State
Regarding Conclusion of Peace Treaty with Recognized Democratic Government of Bulgaria
With regard to the provisions of Paragraph X of the report on the Berlin Conference concerning the conclusion of a peace treaty with a recognized democratic government of Bulgaria, and having in mind the elections now scheduled to be held there on August 26, 1945, the Department has instructed the United States Political representative in Bulgaria to convey to the Bulgarian Government the following views of the United States Government:
The United States Government has been desirous of recognizing and establishing diplomatic relations with a provisional Bulgarian Government which would be representative of all important elements of democratic opinion and which would arrange for free and untrammeled elections under conditions which would safeguard the free expression of political views and the free exercise of political rights.
The information available to the United States Government has not satisfied it that the existing provisional Bulgarian Government is adequately representative of the important elements of democratic opinion or that the existing government have arranged for the scheduled elections to take place under conditions which will allow and ensure the effective participation therein, free from the fear of force and intimidation, of all democratic elements.
In the opinion of the United States Government the effective participation of all important democratic elements in the forthcoming election is essential to facilitate the conclusion of a peace treaty with a recognized democratic government. The will of the majority of the people can be determined only if all the people are able to vote free from force and intimidation.”
Sent to Sofia, repeated to London and Moscow.36
- Repeated to London and Moscow as Nos. 6980 and 1853, respectively; repeated also to Paris as No. 3880.↩