711.00111 Lic. Wolf, Rudolf/51/54: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Bullitt)
90. Your No. 210, February 15, 4 p.m. I approve the position taken by Wilson in his conversation with Laugier and Delbos.
I hope, however, that the French Government may see its way clear to prevent the transshipment of these planes, unless the Foreign Office has received assurances that they are in fact destined to Bulgaria. It is assumed that the Foreign Office would not wish to permit the transshipment on the basis of an application containing false statements. I believe that any statements to the effect that these planes are destined to Bulgaria may be false. The Minister of Bulgaria informs me that he considers it extremely unlikely that anyone in Bulgaria is importing the planes.
The British Embassy here has been kept fully informed of developments in connection with this transaction. The Bulgarian Minister has stated that he is informing his Government of this apparent attempt to export the planes under false pretenses, and our Legation in Sofia has been instructed to bring the matter to the attention of the Bulgarian Foreign Office.
It is suggested that, unless you are convinced that the French Government is determined to permit these planes to be transshipped to Spain, you may find it possible to intimate to the Foreign Office that the Bulgarian Government could probably furnish definite information as to whether the planes are in fact destined to Bulgaria.