740.00119 EW/10–3044: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

25. Reurtel 9370, October 30, 7 p.m.11 The Department has carefully considered the correspondence between Mr. Winant and the Soviet Chargé d’Affaires relating to the application of Article 18 of the Bulgarian Armistice terms following the conclusion of hostilities.

The considerations advanced by the Soviet Chargé d’Affaires do not afford a convincing reason for the abandonment by this Government of its intention to discuss the question at a later date. You are accordingly requested to address a further communication to your Soviet colleague, stating that this Government has taken note of the observations made in the Chargé’s letter of October 28,11a but that they do not materially alter the desire of this Government to re-examine, at an appropriate time, together with the Soviet and British Governments, the manner in which Article 18 of the Bulgarian armistice should be implemented during the period subsequent to the conclusion of hostilities against Germany.

You may observe that our position is based not only on the wording of Article 18 but also on the general understanding (alluded to in the Soviet Chargé’s letter) that there will be a limitation of the leading role of the Soviet High Command during the second period of the Allied Control Commission’s activity, and that the extent of such limitation should, in the opinion of this Government, be a matter of mutual discussion. Sent to London. Repeated to Moscow12 and Sofia.13

Stettinius
  1. Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iii, p. 482.
  2. Not printed.
  3. As telegram 5.
  4. In paraphrase as telegram 5, January 2, 1945, 7 p.m.