874.00/9–1045: Telegram
The Secretary of the United States Mission in Bulgaria (Rewinkel) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
524. Re my telegram 521, September 10. It is becoming increasingly apparent that Communists are pressing Government circles for early holding of elections and that active consideration is being given to revisions of electoral law, with view to obtaining their adoption by the Ministerial Council which can of course take place only with [Page 325] Allied Control Commission (Russian) approval. To forestall possibility of revised electoral law being “sprung” before the US and UK delegates have had opportunity to present it to their Governments, General Crane is, with my concurrence, submitting the following-letter to General Biryusov, Chairman of Allied Control Commission.
“Dear General, I have been informed that several of the daily Bulgarian newspapers have carried the news that Mr. Yugoff, the Minister of the Interior, is considering proposing changes in the present electoral law.
Inasmuch as my Government is very interested in making certain that any elections held in this country are free and democratic by standards understood in the US, I request the Allied Control Commission to furnish me with a copy of any such proposed changes in the electoral law prior to final action being taken so that I may submit them to Washington for comment.”
British delegate has taken similar step. British mission has received detailed instructions from its Foreign Office in a telegram of August 31, copy of which was also transmitted to British Embassy Washington,59 concerning viewspoints of British Government on electoral law and basic objectives which it desires to be secured in Bulgaria. It would be most helpful to General Crane and to this mission if Department would indicate more specifically the policy it desires followed and what steps if any we are authorized to take in Allied Control Commission with Bulgarians in pursuance thereof.