768.70/11–2646: Telegram
The United States Representative in Bulgaria (Barnes) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 28—12:05 p.m.]
932. Neither Bulgarian Govt nor Bulgarian press has given any info on state of affairs along frontiers Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria with Greece except that press has published dispatches from Athens, Tirana and Belgrade on charges and counter charges of Greek, Albanian and Yugoslavian Govts.
So far as Bulgaria may be involved in situation reported from Athens defense is being left to Russia. Russia’s project of defense by offensive action is revealed in text of so-called ACC letter to Greek liaison officer Sofia, text of which is contained in my next following telegram 933.54
So far as I can ascertain, and our military authorities here are in general agreement on this point, Bulgaria is not as yet really involved in unfortunate state of affairs obtaining in Greek Macedonian territory. This does not mean that Bulgaria will not become actively engaged in that situation in event she is able to sign treaty of peace. It [Page 270] is my own belief and many other foreign observers here agree with me that it is only because Bulgaria is not yet at peace with Western Democracies that she is not actually involved with Yugoslavia and Albania in fomenting strife in Greece’s northern and western provinces.
Peace will free Bulgaria to prosecute policy in this regard that will best suit Russia and her own national interests. In this connection Bulgarian’s Russian supported campaign for return of Western Thrace takes on pressing significance. As seen from this vantage point problem in northern and western provinces of Greece may well present itself by spring as follows:
- 1.
- Greek sovereignty will no longer be effective in so-called Greek-Macedonia.
- 2.
- Local population this area will set up provisional regime and request union with Yugoslavia–Macedonia.
- 3.
- Bulgaria will express willingness to transfer its Macedonian territory in Pirin area to United Macedonia within “Federative Yugoslavia”.
- 4.
- Obliteration of Greek sovereignty in Greek Macedonia will isolate Western Thrace from Greece.
- 5.
- Local population Western Thrace will establish provisional regime and request union with Bulgaria.
- 6.
- By this outflanking movement problem of Dardanelles will be “softened”.
As I have pointed out in recent telegrams leadership of Bulgarian Communists is not sufficiently anxious for treaty of peace to make concessions to western views with respect to domestic political situation. I do believe, however, that this leadership, backed by Russian designs, is anxious for reestablishment of peace to facilitate developments as forecast above.
Sent Dept, repeated Moscow 371, London 214, Paris 304, Ankara 27, Athens 16, Belgrade 31.
- Dated November 26, 1946, not printed; it denounced strange movements of large groups of Greek soldiers near the Bulgarian frontier and the firing of arms by Greek forces into Bulgarian territory and warned that these activities might cause incidents with undesirable consequences (868.014/11–2646).↩