Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

874.00/7–2646: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes)

confidential
us urgent

Washington, August 2, 1946—10 a.m.

242. Urtel 582 July 26. Draft notes read to Kulishev have Depts full approval and, unless you and Gen Robertson consider that within reasonable period satisfactory improvement has been made, you are authorized to deliver to FonMin notes along substantially lines quoted urtel subject to amplification accordance suggestions contained in following paragraphs if you consider desirable. Dept considering advisability giving publicity to recent developments and our position concerning (1) arrests of employees by militia, (2) relations between US reps and Bulgarian authorities, and (3) plane clearances (Moscow’s 39 July 26 to you⁵²). Supply question does not however appear to lend itself so readily to effective publicity.

Concerning your draft note re arrest of employees you may wish incorporate therein such expressions of US views re analogous situation in Rumania (Deptel 173 June 13⁵³) as may be appropriate.

As to draft note number 2 on question of supplies Article 15 of Armistice as elaborated by Article 4 of Protocol provides that Soviets will arrange to make Bulgarian supplies available to meet “needs of reps of Govts of UK and US”. US holds US needs should be determined by US and that term reps of Govt of US includes both representation ACC and political mission (urtel 580 July 25 and Robertson’s 3204 July 27⁵⁴). We have maintained this interpretation in regard to political mission in previous discussions with Soviets concerning supplies. When you deliver note to FonOff we think Robertson should inform ACC similarly. Dept notes Robertson’s suggestion action this particular question be suspended for moment pending actual implementation Biryusov’s instructions.

For your info Soviet action re supplies may have been precipitated by US action in Japan whereby US Army supplies are being withheld from other elements of Allied Council as such elements become logistically independent.⁵⁵ Likewise, as result Soviet requests for amounts of yen far in excess of legitimate needs their personnel, Gen MacArthur has been authorized in his discretion to reduce such yen deliveries to Soviets.

War Dept concurs.

Since drafting foregoing, Dept has received urtel 598 July 31⁵⁶ indicating question mission participation in supply arrangements apparently satisfactorily settled for time being.

Sent Sofia rptd Moscow and Paris for Secdel.

Acheson

52. Same as telegram 2293, July 26, from Moscow, p. 124.
53. Same as telegram 385, June 13, to Bucharest, p. 602.
54. Neither printed.
55. Regarding the status of the Soviet Mission in Japan, see telegram 351, August 1, from Tokyo, and telegram 3156, August 10, from Moscow, vol. viii.
56. Not printed; it reported the receipt of a note stating that the system of provisioning the personnel of the American political representation would remain as it had been in the past (740.00119 Control (Germany)/7–3146).