Office of the Historian

874.00/10–1047: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Legation in Bulgaria

secret
Washington, October 18, 1947—2 p. m.

445. Continuing features law of Aug 25 abolishing Bulg Agrarian National Union obviously violate Art II of treaty of peace (urtel 909, Oct 101) and, although Dept realizes that present demoralization Agrarian adherents probably would preclude revival party as political force even in unlikely event we could obtain repeal that law, it seems desirable to place on record US views. We have, of course, already informed Soviets land announced publicly (Deptel 1654 Aug 28 to Moscow rptd to Sofia as 3282) that situation created by dissolution of Agrarian Union is inconsistent with the conduct of representative government in Bulgaria in the establishment of which the three Yalta Powers agreed to assist.

Accordingly, Dept considering, subject your comments and those of Embassies London and Moscow, authorizing you to deliver note to Bulg FonOff along following lines:

“The United States Government has taken note of the act of Parliament passed on August 25, 1947, dissolving the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union and prohibiting the reestablishment of that organization in any form. The United States Government recalls that the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union, otherwise known as the Agrarian Party, was a major political force in Bulgaria, polling over a million votes and electing some 90 deputies at the last election, despite the conditions under which it was held. The United States Government cannot credit irresponsible declarations which have been made by official and unofficial spokesmen in Bulgaria to the effect that the Agrarian Union was an organization of a fascist type which bad as its aim the denial to the people of their democratic rights, thus bringing it within the purview of Article IV of the treaty of peace which came into force on September 16. Such charges have been entirely unsupported by credible evidence. On the contrary, it must be as well known to the Bulgarian Government as to others familiar with developments in Bulgaria that the Agrarian Union was a responsible democratic political party having as its object the establishment, through legitimate Parliamentary means, of representative government land the free exercise of fundamental freedoms in Bulgaria.

“The United States Government is convinced that the law of August 25, 1947 which prohibits the reestablishment of the Bulgarian Agrarian Union denies to a large segment of the Bulgarian people the enjoyment of the freedom of political opinion guaranteed in Article II of the Treaty of Peace. The United States Government [Page 186] consequently feels obliged at this time to place on record its view that that law violates Bulgaria’s treaty obligations under that Article.”3

Sent Sofia, rptd London and Moscow.

Lovett
  1. Not printed; it suggested the desirability of formally protesting the dissolution of the opposition Agrarian Union (874.00/10–1047).↩
  2. The telegram under reference here is not printed. It contained instructions for the note to the Soviet Government delivered by Ambassador Smith on August 30; see the editorial note, p. 178.↩

  3. Telegram 5610, October 20, from London, not printed, reported that the British Foreign Office would welcome the delivery of an American note along the lines set forth in this telegram. In telegram 3085, October 23, from Moscow, not printed, the Embassy concurred in the desirability of such a note (874.00/10–2047, 10–2347).

    In response to suggestions from the Legation in Sofia, approved by the Department in telegram 495, November 12, to Sofia, not printed, the final paragraph of this note was revised to read as follows:

    “The US Govt is persuaded that Bulgarian Govt will wish to fulfill the stipulations of treaty of peace to which it has set its signature and that it perceives the advantage to Bulgaria as well as its solemn obligation to create the situation of political and human freedoms envisaged in Article Two of treaty. The US Govt therefore confidently expects Bulgarian Govt to take early steps to repeal law of August 25, 1947 which violates Bulgaria’s treaty obligations under the article”. (874.00/11–1247)

    ↩