Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Eastern Europe; Finland; Greece; Turkey, Volume X, Part 2

34. Instruction From the Department of State to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts⁰

Washington, March 31, 1959.

CA–8405. Subject: Resumption of US-Bulgarian Relations. Reference: Circular Telegram No. 1087, March 25, 1959.¹

Background:

The US-Bulgarian agreement to resume diplomatic relations which was reached on March 24 and announced March 27 results from a Bulgarian approach on December 2, 1957 through the Polish Embassy in Washington.² (Poland has been the Bulgarian protecting power in the US.) After careful consideration, including an assessment of the probable impact of resumption upon the various countries with which we maintain friendly relations, the Department concluded that both Free World interests and US national interest, as reflected in our policy toward Eastern Europe, would be served by such a step. Accordingly, on October 13, 1958 the Polish Embassy in Washington was notified of US willingness to enter negotiations.³ At the same time, the US conveyed our conditions for resumption, namely (1) withdrawal of the charges of espionage and interference with internal Bulgarian affairs which were made against the former US Minister in Sofia, Mr. Donald R. Heath, which led to the suspension of US-Bulgarian relations on February 20, 1950, and (2) the receipt of Bulgarian assurances that a US mission in Sofia would be permitted to function normally without harassment. The Bulgarian Government indicated its willingness to discuss these conditions, and accordingly conversations began in New York on March 4⁴ and terminated successfully in the agreement of March 24, 1959.

Policy Considerations:

The Department gave careful consideration to the timing of the resumption of relations with Bulgaria in the light of current international conditions. We are, of course, fully cognizant of the character and status of the Bulgarian Government as a Soviet-dominated regime. The Department was equally aware, however, of the continuing aspiration of the Bulgarian people for a greater measure of national independence and freedom and considered it in our interest to do what we can to encourage these aspirations. Events of the past several years in Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland and Hungary, have demonstrated not only a deep-seated popular antipathy to Soviet-Communist rule and ideology, but also the fundamental weaknesses of Soviet imperialism. There is continuing evidence that even within the Communist bureaucracies there exist elements which would prefer, and under appropriate conditions may seek, a larger measure of national independence rather than continued total subservience to the Soviet Union. In the light of these considerations, the Department is mindful that, in resuming relations with the Bulgarian Government, the US is also enlarging the possibilities of greater contact with the Bulgarian people. The US may be enabled by this means to give broader and more consistent effect to US policies in Eastern Europe generally and to project its influence more actively in Bulgaria specifically. The Department does not consider in these circumstances that it would be to the advantage of the US to treat the Bulgarian nation simply as an appendage of the Soviet Union or to determine the nature and course of our relations with Bulgaria solely by the state of our relations with the Soviet Union. We believe that our action at this time in resuming diplomatic relations with Bulgaria will, in the light of the foregoing considerations, contribute to the advancement of our policy aims with respect to Bulgaria and the other nations of Eastern Europe and is in harmony with the general conduct of our foreign policy.

Treatment by Addressee Posts:

Should diplomatic or other officials of Free World nations approach you with requests for information or comments concerning the resumption of US-Bulgarian diplomatic relations, you may, at your discretion and in the light of the local situation, use such parts of the foregoing exposition as are suitable. Inquiries directed by diplomatic or other officials of Soviet-dominated countries should be dealt with by a recital of the factual material contained in the Background Section above.

In conversation with officials of Soviet-dominated nations reference should not be made to policy considerations.

Establishment of US Mission in Sofia:

According to a schedule which is purely tentative at this time, we envisage sending an advance party of two or three officers who would visit Sofia for a short period in early May to ascertain the physical and administrative needs of a US mission. We would hope, following this, to establish a US mission in Sofia during the summer of this year.

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.69/3–3159. Confidential. Drafted by Hoctor; initialed by Leverich, Hoctor, and Kohler; cleared by L, ARA, FE, NEA, and AF; and approved by Kohler.
1. Circular telegram 1087 announced that the U.S.-Bulgarian agreement to resume diplomatic relations was initialed in Washington on March 24. (Ibid., 611.69/3–2559)
2. No copy of the March 24 agreement has been found in Department of State files. For text of the March 27 press release on the resumption of diplomatic relations, see Department of State Bulletin, April 13, 1959, p. 512. No record of the March 24 meeting between Kohler and Voutov at which the agreement was initialed has been found in Department of State files. Regarding the Bulgarian approach, see Document 33.
3. A copy of the memorandum of conversation between Leverich and Rudolf Heller, First Secretary of the Polish Embassy, is in Department of State, Central Files, 611.69/10–1358.
4. Heller informed Leverich on November 13, 1958, that the Bulgarian Government was willing to discuss the U.S. conditions for resumption of diplomatic relations. (Memorandum of conversation, November 14, 1958; Ibid., 611.69/11–1458) In a procedural discussion in Washington on January 27, 1959, Freers and Voutov agreed to hold negotiations in New York the week of March 2. Freers indicated Kohler would be designated the chief negotiator for the United States. (Memorandum of conversation; Ibid., 611.69/1–2759)

   The negotiations between Kohler and Voutov in New York on March 4 and 6, which produced draft memoranda of understanding, are summarized in telegrams 736 and 741 from USUN, March 5 and 7. (Ibid., 611.69/3–559 and 611.69/3–759) No copies of the draft or final memoranda of understanding or the agreement of March 24 have been found in Department of State files.