124.693/2–1750

The United States Legation in Bulgaria to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry 1

No. 32

The Legation of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to refer to the Ministry’s Note Verbale No. 6–50–1 of January 11, 1950.2

With respect to the Ministry’s request concerning Michael Todorov Shipkov, although deeply concerned as to the welfare of this man who was in the Legation’s employ for a period of several years and whose present whereabouts are unknown, the Legation is not in a position to be of any assistance to the organs of the National Militia, which the Ministry indicates has been searching for him. The Legation would like to point out in this connection that the Ministry’s Note of January 11 contained the first indication that charges have been made against Mr. Shipkov and in view of past exchanges with the Ministry on the subject of this individual, the Legation would appreciate being informed of the precise nature of the charges.

The Ministry will recall that Michael Shipkov was detained in August 1949 and mercilessly maltreated by the Militia. This incident was the subject of a series of discussions between the Legation and the Ministry, in the course of which Assistant Foreign Minister Kamenov expressed on October 5, 1949 his deep regret over the action taken against Mr. Shipkov, and stated that officials responsible would be punished and that measures would be taken to prevent recurrence of such actions. These statements were confirmed by His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs in a discussion which occurred on October 11, 1949, concluding with the statement that the maltreatment of Mr. Shipkov was absolutely against the policy of the Bulgarian Government.3

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As the Legation has had occasion to point out on a number of occassions, the Bulgarian Government’s deliberate and systematic persecution of the Legation’s local employees, to the detriment of normal functioning of the Legation and in disregard of elementary human rights of the individuals concerned, has been one of the principal factors which have reduced Bulgarian-American relations to their present unsatisfactory state. The record has been such that the Government of the United States has not been able to accept as genuine or made in good faith the charges on which persecution of these employees has been ostensibly based.

The Legation of the United States of America takes this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the assurances of its high consideration.

  1. The source text was transmitted to the Department of State in despatch 90, February 17, from Sofia, not printed. The despatch reported that the note printed here was delivered to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry on the afternoon of February 16 in pursuance of instructions contained in telegrams 144, February 10 and 153, February 15, to Sofia, neither printed (124.693/2–1050 and 124.693/2–1550).
  2. Not printed. It stated that the Bulgarian Government had ascertained that the American Legation was hiding Michael Shipkov, a former employee of the Legation, who was wanted by Bulgarian authorities for investigation in connection with certain alleged illegal and anti-State activities. The Note verbale, the text of which has not been found, apparently requested the surrender of Shipkov. Regarding the Shipkov case, see the editorial note, infra.
  3. Minister Heath’s meeting with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Poptomov under reference here was reported upon in telegram 858, October 12, 1949, from Sofia; for the text, see Foreign Relations, 1949, vol. v, p. 351. Heath’s meeting with Bulgarian Assistant Foreign Minister Kamenov on October 5, 1949, is described in more detail in footnote 1 to the same telegram.