still stands. We all recognize it as a joint responsibility of the three governments.

It was reaffirmed in the Berlin declarations on Rumania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. These nations are not to be spheres of influence of any one power. They now are governed by Allied Control Commissions composed of representatives of the three governments which met at Yalta and Berlin. These Control Commissions, it is true, have not been functioning completely to our satisfaction; but improved procedures were agreed upon at Berlin. Until these states are reestablished as members of the international family, they are the joint concern of all of us.

264. YALTA COMMITMENTS UNFULFLLED IN BULGARIA, HUNGARY, AND RUMANIA

Statement by President Truman upon Ratification of Peace Treaties, June 14, 1947 1

At the time of ratification of the treaties establishing peace with Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria, I feel I must publicly express regret that the governments of those countries not only have disregarded the will of the majority of the people but have resorted to measures of oppression against them. Ever since the liberation of these countries from the Nazi yoke and the commitments undertaken by the three Allies at Yalta, I had hoped that governments truly representative of the people would be established there. Such governments do not exist today in those three countries.

It is, however, in the interests of the Hungarian, Rumanian, and Bulgarian peoples to terminate the state of war which has existed between their governments and the United States for over five years. The establishment of peace will mean that all occupation forces (not including Soviet units needed to maintain lines of communication to the Soviet zone of occupation in Austria) will be withdrawn from these countries and armistice Control Commissions terminated.

265. UNITED STATES POSITION ON INCLUSION OF OPPOSITION PARTIES IN BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT

Aide-Memoire From Benjamin V. Cohen, Counselor of the Department of State, to Lt. Gen. Vladimir Stoichew, Bulgarian Representative in Washington, February 22, 1946 3 In view of the misunderstanding which appears to exist in certain quarters in Bulgaria as to the position of the United States Government in regard to the decisions concerning Bulgaria taken at the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Moscow in December, 1945, the United States Government desires that the following statement of its views in the matter, which have been made known to the Soviet and British Governments, be brought to the attention of the Bulgarian Government:

1 Department of State Bulletin of June 22, 1947, p. 1214. 2 Department of State Bulletin of March 17, 1946, p. 447

It is the United States Government's interpretation of the Moscow decision that the Bulgarian Government and opposition should be urged to find a mutually acceptable basis for the participation in the present Bulgarian Government of two truly representative members of the opposition parties. It was never the understanding of the United States Government that pressure was to be exerted on the opposition to nominate two candidates for pro forma inclusion into the Government without regard to the conditions of their participation. Although the Moscow agreement did not set forth any specific conditions for the inclusion of the two representatives of the opposition, it did, in the view of the United States Government, anticipate that the participation of these representatives would be on the basis of conditions mutually agreeable to both the Bulgarian Government and the opposition.

It was and is the earnest hope of the United States Government that, meeting in a spirit of conciliation, representatives of the Bulgarian Government and of the opposition could and would agree to work together on a mutually acceptable basis which would enable two truly representative members of the opposition parties to participate in the Government.

266. EFFORTS TO SECURE FREE ELECTIONS IN BULGARIA BY THE UNITED STATES 1

Note from the Secretary of State to Bulgarian Prime Minister 2

September 24, 1946

Since our conversation on August 27 about political conditions in your country and the problem those conditions create for the United States in signing peace with Bulgaria, I have given considerable thought to Bulgaro-United States relations.

I had hoped that implementation of the program set forth in the aide memoire handed by you to Mr. Barnes on August 31 for my information would go far to dissipate the problems that I discussed with you. As I told you, it is my belief that implementation of the Moscow Agreement to enlarge the basis of the Bulgarian Government by the inclusion of two representative leaders of the Opposition before the elections on October 27 for the Grand National Assembly would be the most effective means of assuring widespread acceptance of election results. While I have as yet perceived no signs of an effort on the part of the Bulgarian Government since your return to Sofia to put the Moscow Agreement into effect before the elections, I still hope that such efforts will be made.

have decided to follow up our conversation in Paris with this letter because of my sincere desire to do everything possible myself to assure in the case of Bulgaria fulfillment of the hopes that were entertained and expressed by President Roosevelt, Marshal Stalin, and Prime Minister Churchill, the representatives of the three great Allies at Yalta. I feel that I should also tell you that I have instructed General Robertson to request of the Acting President of the Allied Control Commission that all party leaders in Bulgaria be

1 Department of State Bulletin, November 3, 1946, p. 818.

* Kimon Georgiev.

heard by the Commission on the subject of the forthcom ng elections for the Grand National Assembly and general political cond tions in the country. General Robertson will request a special meeting of the Allied Control Commission to consider what steps along the following lines might be taken by the Commission further to assure free elections. for the Grand National Assembly:

(1) freedom of press, radio, and assembly for the Opposition;

(2) non-interference of the militia, either with candidates or voters, except to maintain law and order;

(3) release of political prisoners, or open formulation of charges against them;

(4) elimination of any possible threat of post-election retaliation for political reasons.

I am sure you will understand my motives in writing you as frankly as I have and that in this connection you will recall my words on the subject of the difficulty that present-day conditions in your country present to the United States with respect to the resumption and development of friendly relations between our two peoples and Governments.

267. ARREST, SENTENCE, AND EXECUTION OF BULGARIAN OPPOSITION LEADER, NIKOLA PETKOV

(a) Exchange of Notes Between U. S. and U. S. S. R., August 1 23 and 25, 1947 1

NOTE FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE U. S. S. R., AUGUST 23, 1947 2

My Government has instructed me to bring to your attention, as a matter of urgency, the importance which the United States Government and world public opinion attaches to the case of Mr. Nikola Petkov, the opposition leader in the Bulgarian Parliament who was recently sentenced to death in Bulgaria.

My Government has instructed me to inform you that it cannot accept the position taken by the Soviet Chairman of the Allied Control Commission in Bulgaria to the effect that it was not possible for the Commission to interfere in Mr. Petkov's case on the allegation that it is a purely internal Bulgarian affair. It is the firm belief of my Government that the sentencing of death to the duly elected leader of the Bulgarian opposition is a most grave matter, which if carried out will jeopardize the establishment of a representative democratic government in Bulgaria. The establishment of such a representative democratic government in Bulgaria and other countries was the primary objective of the declaration on liberated Europe agreed to by the United States, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union at Yalta. Therefore, my Government is of the opinion that the Soviet Chairman of the Allied Control Commission disregarded the obligations assumed by the Soviet Government in the Yalta Agreement when he refused to consult with the United States and British representatives in Bulgaria in order to reach concerted policies in regard to the case of Nikola Petkov.

1 Department of State Bulletin of September 7, 1947, pp. 481-482.

For exchange of notes between United States and Soviet Representatives on Allied Control Commis sion for Bulgaria, see Department of State Bulletin of August 31, 1947, p. 429.

In view of the inability of the United States and United Kingdom representatives in Bulgaria to reach a concerted policy with their Soviet colleague in regard to this case, the world wide interest which this case has received, and particularly the obligations assumed by the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in the declaration on liberated Europe, my Government requests that immediate consultations take place at a governmental level among the Three Yalta Powers in order that they may reach concerted policies in regard to the matter.

The United States representative in Sofia also has emphasized to the Bulgarian Government the importance which the United States Government attaches to this case and has informed the Bulgarian Government that pending agreement of the Three Powers the United States Government expects that the sentence passed on Mr. Petkov will not be executed. It is hoped that the Soviet Government will make similar representations to the Bulgarian Government.

I should appreciate receiving an urgent reply indicating the Soviet Government's consent to the Three Power consultations proposed by my Government.

SOVIET REPLY TO THE UNITED STATES, AUGUST 25, 1947

It is impossible to agree with the appraisal contained in your note of the acts of the Deputy President of the Allied Control Commission who refused consideration of the proposition brought up by Maj. Gen. Roberts and Col. Greene to the effect that the Bulgarian Government be directed to delay execution of the sentence in the matter of Nikola Petkov until such time as the ACC could consider the matter. Such a statement of the question is incorrect and inadmissible, since the Control Commission in Bulgaria has no right to review judicial matters decided by Bulgarian court or to give the Bulgarian Government any directives whatsoever in such matters. Such acts by the Control Commission would constitute interference in Bulgarian internal affairs and would be direct infringement of the state sovereignty of Bulgaria. As regards the proposition of the Government of the United States of America which was contained in your note, immediately to begin governmental consultations between the three powers which took part in the Yalta Conference in order to work out concerted policy regarding the matter of Nikola Petkov, the Soviet Government, for the reasons set forth above, does not see any possibility of agreement with indicated proposal. The Soviet Government has an attitude of full respect and confidence toward the Bulgarian court set up by the Bulgarian people as a guardian of justice.

(b) United States Note to Soviet Minister for Foreign Affairs, August 30, 1947 1

My Government has received your communication of August 25 concerning the case of Nikola Petkov.

In February 1945 the U. S. S. R., U. K. and U. S. agreed at Yalta to a declaration on Liberated Europe which reads as follows:

"The Premier of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the President of the United

1 Department of State Bulletin of September 14, 1947, pp. 531-533.

States of America have consulted with each other in the common interests of the peoples of their countries and those of liberated Europe. They jointly declare their mutual agreement to concert during the temporary period of instability in liberated Europe the policies of their three governments in assisting the peoples liberated from the domination of Nazi Germany and the peoples of the former Axis satellite states of Europe to solve by democratic means their pressing political and economic problems.

"The establishment of order in Europe and the rebuilding of national economic life must be achieved by processes which will enable the liberated peoples to destroy the last vestiges of Nazism and Fascism and to create democratic institutions of their own choice. This is a principle of the Atlantic Charter-the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live-the restoration of sovereign rights and self-government to those peoples who have been forcibly deprived of them by the aggressor nations.

"To foster the conditions in which the liberated peoples may exercise these rights, the three governments will jointly assist the people in any European liberated state or former Axis satellite state in Europe where in their judgment conditions require (A) to establish conditions of internal peace; (B) to carry out emergency measures for the relief of distressed peoples; (C) to form interim governmental authorities broadly representative of all democratic elements in the population and pledged to the earliest possible establishment through free elections of governments responsive to the will of the people; and (D) to facilitate where necessary the holding of such elections.

"The three governments will consult the other United Nations and provisional authorities or other governments in Europe when matters of direct interest to them are under consideration.

"When, in the opinion of the three governments, conditions in any European liberated state or any former Axis satellite state in Europe make such action necessary, they will immediately consult together on the measures necessary to discharge the joint responsibilities set forth in this declaration.

"By this declaration we reaffirm our faith in the principles of the Atlantic Charter, our pledge in the declaration by the United Nations, and our determination to build in cooperation with other peaceloving nations world order under law, dedicated to peace, security, freedom and general well-being of all mankind."

In December 1945 the Foreign Ministers of the U. S. S. R., U. K. and U. S. met in Moscow in accordance with decisions reached at Yalta and later at Potsdam and, with respect to Bulgaria, agreed that "Soviet Government takes upon itself mission of giving friendly advice to Bulgarian Government with regard to desirability of inclusion in Bulgarian Government of the Fatherland Front, now being formed, of an additional two representatives of other democratic groups, who (a) are truly representative of the groups of the parties which are not participating in the Government and (b) are really suitable and will work loyally with the Government."

Mr. Nikola Petkov was and is the titular and actual leader of the Agrarian Union, the principal democratic group outside of the Fatherland Front to which the Moscow agreement had reference. He signed the Armistice Agreement on behalf of Bulgaria. Despite the manifest unfairness of the manner in which the elections of October 27, 1946 for