874.00/10–2146: Telegram
The Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
niact
[Received October 24—10:41 a.m.]
842. Instructions received this morning from British Foreign Office by virtue of which General Oxley today addressed letter reported my next following telegram 843 to General Biryusov.86 Instructions authorized release text to local press at time release locally our documents (see mytel 833, October 1787). In view this new and important development and considerations of urgency set forth mytel 840, October 20,88 I have conferred at length with Generals Robertson and Oxley and with acting British Political representative Tollinton. We all feel that release all documents locally tonight for publication tomorrow morning’s press imperative if efforts for freest possible elections, about which British and American Govts now in full agreement, are to have real chance of success. I recall in Paris that it was intention to set our ACC record straight by publication Secretary’s letter September 24 to Georgiev; that it was also anticipated that Robertson’s démarche to Biryusov and Biryusov’s response would be made public, with qualification that Biryusov’s response should be reported to Secretary for Secretary to take decision on publicity. Delsec’s telegram [Page 158] 1053, October 1189 stated Secretary agrees to publication if Dept considers desirable, leaving question of timing to Dept. As early as mytel 798, October 2 I stressed importance of publicity and continued on point in telegrams 799, October 2; 802, October 4; 810, October 7; 820, October 11; 826, October 12; 833, October 17 and finally again in my Niact [840] October 20, noon; in which reply by 4 p.m. GMT today was urged.90 Taking all these facts into consideration and as only four effective electoral campaign days remain, I have concluded that circumstances require on-the-spot decision. I have therefore released to press at 6 p.m. tonight texts listed mytel 833, October 17. British Political Mission has released General Oxley’s letter. From standpoint of US interest and prestige in Balkans I have no misgivings. If from over-all viewpoint I have been wrong, Dept can disavow action. I am fully conscious that step taken may be one Dept cannot condone. I can only hope that somewhere en route to Sofia is reply to mytel 840 authorizing publication.91
Repeated Moscow as 344 and London 187.
- Telegram 843, October 21, from Sofia, not printed.↩
- Not printed; in it, Barnes asked for authority to distribute to the local Bulgarian press the following documents: (1) the Secretary of State’s memorandum of September 24 to Prime Minister Georgiev; (2) Georgiev’s reply of October 17; (3) General Robertson’s letter of October 1 to General Biryuzov; (4) General Birynzov’s reply of October 4; (5) General Robertson’s letter of October 4 to General Biryuzov (874.00/10–1746). The documents listed here were those released to the press on October 21 and printed in the Department of State Bulletin, November 3, 1946, pp. 818–821.↩
- Not printed; it reported that the large turnout for an Opposition mass meeting on October 19 indicated that the publicity regarding American efforts on behalf of free elections could have an encouraging effect on the electorate to express itself freely in the forthcoming elections (874.00/10–2046).↩
- Not printed.↩
- Of the telegrams under reference, only 798, October 2, and 802, October 4, are printed. Regarding telegrams 833, October 17, and 840, October 20, see footnotes 87 and 88, p. 157.↩
- Telegram 341, October 21, to Sofia, authorized release of the five documents in question at noon, Washington time, October 21, 1946 (874.00/10–1746).↩