740.00119 Council/9–346: Telegram
The United States Delegation at the Paris Peace Conference to the Acting Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received September 3—10:20 a.m.]
4399. Delsec 891. Barnes talked last night with Prime Minister Georgiev for 2 hours on Bulgarian internal political situation. Georgiev left this morning for Sofia.
Prime Minister told Barnes he anticipates that his efforts to accomplish “something in spirit of wishes expressed by Secretary Byrnes regarding internal political situation in Bulgaria” (Delsec 885, August 31) will have to be confined largely to measures that might induce Opposition to participate in forthcoming elections for Grand National Assembly without their participation in Government. He said that political tempers are such that he could not hope to accomplish much along line of bringing Opposition into Government before elections. He had in mind hostility of Fatherland Front Parties, especially Communists, toward Opposition, more than conditions that Opposition might insist upon for entry into Government.
Barnes reminded him of Secretary’s comment to effect that if Opposition not taken into Government before elections, world opinion could hardly be persuaded of unfettered nature of elections. Prime Minister shrugged shoulders and said political realism requires admission [Page 141] of fact that it is useless in political activity to strive for the impossible.
Asked whether he thought there was anything Secretary might do to lessen obstacles to real and effective negotiations looking to entrance of Opposition into Government before elections, he replied in negative. He pointed out that there had always been political persecution in Bulgaria. Barnes replied that world war had been fought since last elections held by old regime; that at that time majority public opinion had supported repressive measures against Communist minority, whereas at present time Communist minority was calling tune against majority public opinion; that presence of Opposition in Government holding elections was necessary to convince world opinion of honest nature of elections because of conditions obtaining in country against which United States had found it necessary on several occasions publicly to protest.
Georgiev denied nothing. He merely reiterated time without number that it is politically unrealistic to strive for impossible. With each reiteration he repeated that he would seek to do what was possible to improve political conditions for Opposition with respect to their possible participation in elections.
Under these circumstances Barnes will not hurry back to Sofia. It is perhaps best that Opposition should decide question of participation in elections without advice from outside.
Barnes is also strongly of opinion that further statements of explanation of US policy to Prime Minister and other members Bulgarian delegation Paris could only confuse issues involved, as Secretary has now made plain to Bulgarian Govt that real and effective efforts by it to assure free and unfettered elections expected of it and that in opinion of United States Government most convincing manner of accomplishing this would be implementation Moscow decision well in advance of elections. Further to discuss internal Bulgarian situation with Bulgarian leaders would probably only result in creating impression that United States now willing to retreat from position taken in Secretary’s talk with Prime Minister.
Repeated Sofia as 38, London as 662, and Moscow as 341.