874.00/9–647: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
2798. There follows Embassy translation text Soviet note signed Vyshinsky dated September 5 received today.
“Confirming receipt of your note of August 301 with regard to case of Nikola Petkov, I have to state that Soviet Government does not see any grounds for reconsidering its position, as set forth in my letter to you of August 24.2 Soviet Government accordingly cannot agree with opinion of Government of US that allegedly Soviet position in this matter violates obligations contracted by Soviet Union at Yalta, and is denial of rights of US, as signatory power of Bulgarian armistice.
“As is known to Government of US, Soviet Government acting in accordance with agreement between Foreign Ministers of USSR, United Kingdom, and US in December 19453 in pursuance of Yalta [Page 179] decisions fulfilled commission of three governments and extended in due course friendly advice to Bulgarian Government regarding desirability of including in Bulgarian Government two representatives of other democratic groups, which actually would represent groups of parties which did not take part in government, which would be in effect suitable and would work loyally with government. It is known also to Government of US that Bulgarian Government received this friendly advice and did everything within its power for realization of decision of three ministers. If, despite this, this decision was not realized, responsibility for this must be on representatives of groups indicated in decision of three ministers who stubbornly refused proposal for inclusion in composition of Bulgarian Government, a course in which these representatives found full support from American officials.
“The charges, contained in your note, against Fatherland Front and Bulgarian court, which reviewed matter of Petkov with due observance of publicity and all procedural guarantees, are without any basis, and, by confirming once again unobjective approach of US Government to Bulgaria, are evidence at same time of new attempts at interference in internal Bulgarian affairs under various pretexts.
[“] Relying on Yalta declaration on liberated Europe, Government of the US insists on a consultation of three powers with purpose of concerting their policy in connection with events mentioned in your note. The Soviet Government does not see any basis for such a consultation, especially since it does not consider possible discussion on the agenda of a tripartite consultation of any decision legally passed on by Bulgarian Parliament, or decisions adopted by Bulgarian court, inasmuch as all these questions belong unconditionally to competence of Bulgaria itself, and are purely Bulgarian matter. The adoption of proposal of Government of the USA would mean an interference in internal affairs of Bulgaria which not only is not in accordance but actually conflicts with Yalta declaration.”
Department pass Sofia 15.
- Regarding Ambassador Smith’s note under reference here, see the editorial note supra.↩
- The reference here is to the Soviet note received by the Embassy in Moscow on August 25; see the editorial note, p. 173.↩
- At their conference in Moscow, December 16–26, 1945, the Secretary of State, the British Foreign Secretary and the Soviet Foreign Minister agreed that the Soviet Government would take upon itself the mission of giving friendly advice to the Bulgarian Government on the matter of including representatives from other democratic parties in the Bulgarian Government. For the terms of the agreement, see Part VI of the communiqué of the Conference, included in telegram 4284, December 27, 1945, from Moscow, Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. ii, p. 822.↩