740.00119 Council/8–2946: Telegram
The United States Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 10:55 p.m.]
4334. Delsec 874. Barnes had brief talk with Bulgarian Prime Minister after he left Secretary Tuesday morning (see Delsec 873). Barnes told Prime Minister he was by no means as pessimistic as Prime Minister appeared to be about conditions that Opposition would now demand in connection with their participation in Govt. He had been told by Petkov just before departure from Sofia that Opposition would no longer insist on elections for an Ordinary National Assembly, instead of elections for Grand National Assembly. He did not tell Georgiev that Petkov had told him this, but he did-say it was his understanding that Opposition would no longer demand new Ordinary Assembly to prepare agenda for Constituent Assembly. Petkov also told Barnes Opposition would no longer be exacting on subject of Ministry of Interior; that non-Communist Director of Militia would probably satisfy them. They could of course still want Ministry of Justice as this Ministry would control to some extent activities of Ministry of Interior at time of elections and in verifying ballots.
Georgiev said he was delighted Secretary contemplated having further talk with Molotov and Vyshinsky. Barnes replied on this point that Prime Minister should realize that he himself holds in his hands far greater possibilities of bringing three Great Allies together on subject of Bulgaria than do any one of three representatives of those [Page 139] powers at Paris Conference. He emphasized that less than 2 months remain until elections for Grand National Assembly, and if Govt is to be reorganized in time for presence of opposition within Govt to have real effect on elections, something must be done very soon.
Sent Dept 4334; repeated Sofia 36.