Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume X, Part 1, Eastern Europe Region; Soviet Union; Cyprus

18. Operations Coordinating Board Report⁰

Washington, July 2, 1959.

OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THE SOVIET-DOMINATED NATIONS IN EASTERN EUROPE

I. Introduction

A. Special Operating Guidance

1. Scope of Plan. The countries covered by this Plan are Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania. Poland and Yugoslavia are each the subject of a separate Plan.¹

2. Long-Range Objective. Fulfillment of the right of the peoples in the dominated nations to enjoy representative governments resting upon the consent of the governed, exercising full national independence, and participating as members of the Free World community.

3. Short-Range Objectives.

a. Promotion of the peaceful evolution of the dominated nations toward national independence and internal freedom, even though those nations may continue for some time under the close political and military control of the Soviet Union.

b. Reduction of the contribution of the dominated nations to Soviet strength, and weakening of the monolithic front and internal cohesiveness of the Soviet bloc.

4. [13–1/2 lines of source text not declassified]

5. Soviet Policy. Present Soviet policy appears to be one of experimentation in an effort to find a middle course between the alternatives of (a) placing primary reliance on policies of force and repression, and (b) granting increasing autonomy and independence to the Eastern European regimes. The first alternative would deny to these regimes the possibility of broadening their base of popular support. The second alternative would stimulate popular pressures for further concessions and might become extremely difficult to control. The USSR probably will permit the dominated nations to enter into increasing but selectively-controlled contacts with the West, in an attempt, among other things, to enhance the prestige of these regimes and otherwise favorably influence world opinion; to obtain technical data, commodities, and markets in line with overall bloc plans, and to ease economic strains; and to appease the desires of the intelligentsia in the area for wider associations throughout the world.

6. Increased U.S. Opportunities. Although surface stability has been maintained or restored in all the dominated nations, and will probably be preserved over the next few years, an atmosphere of change and ferment more highly charged than under Stalin will probably continue for some time. This atmosphere offers the United States and Western European countries new opportunities, though still limited, to influence the dominated regimes through greater activity, both private and official, in such fields as tourist travel, cultural exchange, and economic relations, including exchanges of technical and commercial visitors. Experience has shown that a U.S. policy designed to ostracize the dominated regimes has had the concurrect effect of inhibiting increased direct U.S. contacts with the people of the dominated nations. It is now apparent that, as a practical matter, substantial expansion of direct U.S. contacts with the peoples of these nations, and the development through such contacts of popular pressures upon the regimes for increased internal freedom and independence from Soviet control, cannot be achieved without more active U.S. relationships with and through these governments. Such relationships would enable the United States to probe, within the party and governmental bureaucracy, for those individuals or groups who show signs of independent thought, nationalist aspirations, or willingness to use their influence to modify their nation’s subservient relationship to the Soviet Union. The actual opportunities for carrying out this policy will, of course, vary from time to time and from country to country. At the present time a necessary first step in Albania is resumption of diplomatic relations. In Czechoslovakia, an important preparatory step is the reaching of an economic agreement, which is currently being negotiated. In Hungary it is difficult to establish useful contacts with government officials while the United States continues to take the lead in focusing world attention on the Soviet suppression of Hungarian freedom and the unrepresentative nature of the present Hungarian government. The Rumanian regime has manifested real though cautious interest in expanding trade relations and in limited cultural, technical, and educational exchanges with the United States.

7. Need for Flexible Approach. Flexible U.S. courses of action, involving inducements as well as probing actions and pressures, sometimes applied simultaneously, are required to exploit Soviet vulnerabilities in the dominated nations, and to complicate the exercise of Soviet control over them. Actions to exploit vulnerabilities must be taken with due consideration for other U.S. actions aimed at more active relations with the existing regimes for the purpose of strengthening U.S. influence in these countries and their ties with the West.

8. Expanding Direct Contacts with the People. In order to maintain and develop popular pressures on the present regimes and accelerate evolution toward independence from Soviet control, direct contacts with the people of the dominated nations should be expanded. To facilitate this expansion of direct contact with the people, more active relations with the existing regimes should be established, but without creating the impression that the basic U.S. attitude toward these regimes has changed or will change in the absence of some significant modification in their character. The people of the dominated nations should be encouraged to seek their goals gradually. [4 lines of source text not declassified]

9. Exploiting Divisive Forces. To impair and weaken Soviet domination, divisive forces should be exploited by appropriate measures, including:

a. Fostering nationalist pride and aspirations among the people and within the regime leadership.

b. [2 lines of source text not declassified]

c. [1–1/2 lines of source text not declassified]

d. Publicizing evidences of unequal treatment by the USSR.

e. Encouraging comparisons of the lot of the dominated nations with that of the USSR and with each other, utilizing, within the context of existing directives, examples of Yugoslavia and Poland in loosening Soviet control over this area.

10. Clarifying U.S. Policy. On appropriate occasions, the United States view should be emphasized that the people of each nation should be independent and free to choose their form of government; but any action or statement should be avoided which could reasonably be represented in the dominated nations as advocacy of a return to authoritarian systems of government such as existed in some of these countries prior to or during World War II. It should also be reiterated on appropriate occasions in public statements that the United States does not look upon the dominated nations as potential military allies and supports their right to independence, not to encircle the Soviet Union with hostile forces, but so that they may take their rightful place as equal members in a peaceful European community of nations. Official public statements should continue to point out the evils and defects of the Soviet-Communist system; reiterate U.S. refusal to accept the domination of these nations by the USSR as an acceptable status quo; and stress evolutionary change.

11. Encouraging Independent Initiatives. The regimes in the dominated nations should be encouraged to take independent initiatives in foreign relations and domestic affairs. The United States should also take advantage of every appropriate opportunity to demonstrate to these regimes how their national interest may be served by independent actions looking toward more normal relations with the West. Efforts should be made to bring the dominated nations increasingly into the activities of international technical and social organizations in order to contribute to their greater independence from Soviet influence and to the U.S. advantage. The benefits received by Yugoslavia and Poland from their relations with the United States should be used as an inducement to the regimes of the dominated nations to seek closer relations with the West.

12. Negotiating Issues. The United States should be prepared to discuss and negotiate issues between it and the individual regimes. When complete solutions are not possible, partial solutions which do not impair U.S. objectives should be accepted. Efforts should be made to alleviate or settle long-standing economic issues (such as nationalization claims, surplus property and other financial obligations) between the United States and the dominated nations.

13. Support to Emigres. Support of selected emigres or emigre groups capable of making a positive contribution to U.S. objectives should be continued, while support of less useful emigre organizations is gradually phased out. Efforts should be made to restrict, on a more selective basis, the issuance of official press releases and public statements commemorating traditional national holidays and other anniversary events in the dominated countries. The regularity with which such statements have been issued in routine response to the solicitations of various emigre groups and organizations year after year has made this practice increasingly counter-productive and has tended to detract from the value and impact of statements issued by high officials on occasions of real interest and significance.

14. Defectors, Escapees, and Refugees. [3 lines of source text not declassified] Overt publicity and propaganda exploitation of defectors, escapees, and refugees should be restricted to specific cases where a net advantage to the United States can be expected or where some degree of public treatment is required in the interest of maintaining the credibility of U.S. media. Otherwise, U.S. policies on defectors, escapees, and refugees from Communist areas continue to apply to nationals of the dominated nations.

15. Expansion of Trade. Efforts should be made, on a case-by-case basis as approved by the Council on Foreign Economic Policy, to establish more normal trade relations between the United States and the dominated nations with which the United States has diplomatic relations, thereby facilitating a gradual expansion of trade—consistent with U.S. economic and trade control policies—when this would be a means of projecting U.S. influence and lessening the dominated nations’ economic ties with, and dependence on, the Soviet Union.

16. Charitable and Relief Efforts. Voluntary relief agencies should be encouraged to undertake appropriate operations in the dominated nations when suitable opportunities arise. U.S. agencies should be prepared to offer food and other relief assistance, through voluntary agencies or otherwise, to the people of the dominated countries when emergency situations occur.

17. Official Information and Cultural Program. The general goal of the official United States information and cultural program in the Soviet-dominated nations is to provide the peoples in this area with informational or cultural material which will (a) give them a sound understanding of United States and Western policy, (b) strengthen their cultural ties with, and foster favorable attitudes toward, the United States and the Free World, and (c) be useful in helping them meet their own problems in ways which will promote the peaceful evolution of the dominated nations toward national independence and internal freedom.

U.S. information and cultural activities within these countries are severely restricted at present. In Albania, where the United States does not now have a diplomatic mission, it is only through the Voice of America that the U.S. Government can reach the local populace. Even in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Rumania, the Voice remains, despite strong jamming, especially in urban areas, the primary means for the U.S. Government to reach the broad masses of the population. In the absence of USIS posts in any of these countries, U.S. information and cultural activities are carried on by the personnel of the U.S. diplomatic mission, and primarily by USIA officers (at present one to each mission) assigned there by arrangement with the State Department. In these countries, police-state conditions hamper in varying degrees informal contacts between United States diplomatic personnel and the local populace, so that distribution and placement of informational materials is kept at a low level at best. For the most part, American cultural attractions, including exhibits, can be scheduled and exchange activities carried on only with regime consent and under stipulations of reciprocity.

Although the amount that USIA can actually do at any given time depends mainly on the attitude of the local regime, USIA should be prepared to take advantage of any change in regime attitudes or other opportunity to increase information and cultural activities. The Department of State, on the other hand, should be prepared to resolve problems of reciprocity that undoubtedly will accompany any proposed increase of such activities. At the same time, it is important to exercise discretion in these efforts so that they do not provoke further regime suppression.

18. Special Role of Private Media. Private information and cultural activities in, or having access to, the dominated nations should be supported, as private media can engage in activities which would promote U.S. objectives but for which the United States Government would not wish to accept responsibility.

19. Motion Picture Films. Continue the practice of giving every proper assistance to American motion picture distributors seeking to market their films in the area.

20. Granting Reciprocity. The United States should be prepared to permit information and cultural activities in this country by the diplomatic missions of the dominated nations on an approximately reciprocal basis.

21. Internal Security. Entries, visits, and activities in the United States of individuals or groups from Soviet-dominated nations are subject to internal security safeguards approved by ICIS (Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security).

22. Countering Penetration of Less-Developed Areas. The United States and other Free World nations should seek to counter Soviet efforts to use the dominated nations for penetration of the less-developed nations. Czechoslovakia is being given a major role in these efforts; Rumania is also being used in connection with the oil industry.

B. Selected U.S. Agreements With or Pertaining to the Soviet-Dominated Nations

23. U.S. Involvements Which May Imply Military Security Guarantees. None.

24. U.S. Commitments for Funds, Goods, and Services.

None.

25. Other Agreements.

Peace Treaty with Bulgaria.

Peace Treaty with Hungary.

Peace Treaty with Rumania.²

Surplus Property Agreement with Czechoslovakia.³

Surplus Property Agreement with Hungary.³

For additional agreements, see Treaties in Force.

II. Current and Projected Programs and Courses of Action

Note: Individual action items when extracted from this Plan may be downgraded to the appropriate security classification. Unless otherwise stated, target dates for the following courses of action are all “Continuing”.

General

26. In order to promote expanded contacts and to revive and revitalize traditional bonds between the dominated nations and the United States, give encouragement, as circumstances in a particular nation may warrant, and consistent with U.S. economic and trade control policies, to:

a. Contacts between U.S. individuals and individuals in dominated nations in religious, cultural, technical, business, and social fields.

b. Contacts between U.S. business and other organizations and organizations in the dominated nations in comparable fields, including the exchange of delegations of technical experts.

c. Participation, where feasible and appropriate, in internal trade fairs, film festivals, etc., organized by the dominated nations, inviting on a basis of general reciprocity their participation in such activities in the United States.

d. An expanding exchange program of students and teachers and increasing numbers of leaders’ and specialists’ visits.

e. An expanding program of cultural presentations and athletic events designed to increase U.S. prestige and show U.S. interest in strengthening contacts with the peoples of the dominated countries.

• Assigned to: State, USIA
• Supporting: Other interested agencies

27. Encourage Western European nations to adopt policies toward the dominated countries parallel to those of the United States, and in particular to concert together through established institutions such as NATO, OEEC, and the Council of Europe for the purposes of (a) taking all practicable steps to extend Western European influence among the dominated nations of Eastern Europe, and (b) exploiting the concept of an integrated, prosperous, and stable European community.

Assigned to: State

28. [3 lines of source text not declassified]

Assigned to: Defense

29. To the extent possible, provide appropriate informational and public relations support for the political and economic policies and programs set forth elsewhere in this Operations Plan. Through VOA broadcasts in the language of each country and in other major languages beamed to Eastern Europe, continue to present accurate information on news events and aspects of life in America and the Free World, as well as on significant developments in the Communist World which are either ignored or distorted by Communist media, in order to further the goals listed in paragraph 17. U.S. diplomatic personnel should establish contacts to carry on, to the extent possible at any given time, the following USIS-type program activities:

a. Distribute a daily press bulletin to local government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and local press services and newspapers, based on stories and texts carried in the Special European File transmitted by radio-teletype to each post.

b. Furnish other press material to local editors where there is any likelihood of its use for publication or for background, particularly in such non-political fields as sports, music, science and technology, and art.

c. Arrange for the non-commercial circulation or invitational playing of American films, records, tapes, etc.

d. As opportunities arise, provide films and kinescopes for local TV placement.

e. Conduct a presentation program among selected individuals and groups, featuring books, magazines, brochures, art reproductions, and other suitable materials.

f. Encourage and facilitate the performance of representative American musical and theatrical works by local artistic groups.

g. Arrange for the showing of American cultural and scientific exhibits (exhibits a number of cities in addition to the capital, if possible), accompanied as appropriate by the presentation of books, magazines, and local-language brochures and other material.

h. Utilize Legation or Embassy premises for display purposes, through small exhibits in the windows where these are suitably located and adapted, through picture stories on bulletin boards facing the street, and through suitable displays which can be viewed by visitors to mission offices.

i. Maintain in each mission a small reading room accessible to members of the public who have occasion to visit the mission, making sure that adequate supplies of suitable magazines, pamphlets, etc., are on hand for presentation to visitors or replacement of materials taken by visitors.

j. Provide whatever encouragement and material assistance can be given to the teaching of English locally.

k. Utilize the visits of American tourists, businessmen, cultural and sports groups, etc., on a discretionary basis, to widen the dissemination of American informational and cultural materials among the local populace.

Assigned to: USIA and State

Albania

A. Political

30. When appropriate, recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Albania, subject to certain conditions, including a guarantee of correct treatment of U.S. diplomatic personnel and satisfactory settlement of the question of the validity of pre-war treaties between Albania and the United States.

Assigned to: State

31. On a selective basis, where our opinion is sought, encourage Western and pro-Western governments to establish diplomatic missions in Albania.

Assigned to: State

32. Continue to maintain informal contact with representatives of the Free Albania Committee in New York. This relationship should be reexamined at such time as United States recognition may be extended to an Albanian government.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: All interested agencies

B. Information and Cultural

33. Through VOA broadcasts, which are virtually our only means of contact with Albania, endeavor to sustain the interest of the Albanian people in the United States and the Free World. By means of these broadcasts seek to inform the Albanian people of U.S. policies, particularly toward Eastern Europe, and of developments in the United States, the Free World, and the Soviet bloc.

Assigned to: USIA

Supporting: State

34. In the event of United States recognition, permit United States tourist travel to Albania. In the meantime, continue to maintain the procedures under which passports may be individually endorsed for travel to Albania for legitimate business, professional, or compassionate reasons.

Assigned to: State

Bulgaria

A. Political

35. On March 24, 1959, following negotiations in which the Bulgarian Government withdrew charges of espionage made against former U.S. Minister Heath (which had occasioned the suspension of diplomatic relations in 1950)⁴ and provided assurances that a U.S. Mission in Sofia would be permitted to carry on normal diplomatic functions, agreement was reached for the resumption of U.S.-Bulgarian diplomatic relations.⁵ Preparations are now underway to establish a U.S. Legation in Sofia. The target date is Agust 1959.⁶ Passport restrictions on the travel of U.S. citizens to Bulgaria have been removed.

Assigned to: State

36. Upon the establishment of a U.S. Mission in Sofia, the United States should seek to establish and maintain as active and continuous contact as circumstances may permit with Bulgarian officials and leading personalities in other important fields in order to assess the situation there with a view toward determining the courses of action which will best contribute to the attainment of U.S. objectives in that country.

Assigned to: State

B. Information and Cultural

37. Upon the establishment of a U.S. Mission, explore the possibilities for exchanges in the cultural, technical and educational fields as well as opportunities for United States cultural presentations in Bulgaria. Should such opportunities be found to exist, appropriate proposals should be made to the Bulgarians for such exchanges and presentations.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

38. Upon its establishment, the United States Mission in Sofia should seek to institute such informational activities as a Legation bulletin board and the dissemination of appropriate United States publications.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA

39. Continue in VOA Bulgarian broadcasts to present accurate information on news events and aspects of life in the American and the non-Communist world, as well as on significant developments in the Communist world which are either ignored or distorted by Communist news media.

Assigned to: USIA

Supporting: State

C. Economic

40. Advise and, when appropriate, assist U.S. businessmen who show interest in exploring Bulgarian trade opportunities when such trade will not contravene strategic trade controls.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Commerce

41. Facilitate visits of Bulgarian commercial missions to the United States, consistent with U.S. economic and trade control policies and provided adequate security safeguards can be maintained.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Commerce, Justice

Czechoslovakia

A. Political

42. Seek the permission of Czechoslovakia for the reopening of a consulate in Bratislava at an appropriate time and be prepared to permit Czechoslovakia to open a consulate in the United States on a reciprocal basis.

Assigned to: State

Target Date: As stated

43. Be prepared to consider any appropriate opportunity offered by the Czechoslovak Government to expand the staff of Embassy Prague from the limitation of 18 presently imposed by the Czechoslovak Government.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Other interested agencies

Target Date: As opportunity presents

B. Information and Cultural

44. Continue in VOA broadcasts to Czechoslovakia to present accurate information on news events and aspects of life in America and the non-Communist world, as well as significant developments in the Communist world which are either ignored or distorted by Communist news media.

Assigned to: USIA

45. Consider at the appropriate time official participation in any international trade fair to be held in Brno.

Assigned to: Commerce, State

Supporting: USIA

C. Economic

46. If an economic settlement is reached, consider means of stimulating an expansion of peaceful trade between the United States and Czechoslovakia.

Assigned to: Commerce

Supporting: State

47. Continue negotiations with Czechoslovakia in an effort to resolve outstanding economic issues between the two countries.

Assigned to: State

Target Date: August 1959

Hungary

A. Political

48. Continue efforts to focus world opinion on the Hungarian issue by all appropriate means, including diplomatic action, debate within the UN, and the use of official and non-official U.S. media.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

49. Continue to consult with Free World nations—and especially with the NATO powers—with a view to coordinating policies toward Hungary.

Assigned to: State

50. Continue efforts to establish and broaden contacts with officials at all levels of the Hungarian administration with a view to identifying and encouraging those tendencies and elements which may be disposed toward greater national independence.

Assigned to: State

51. When and as conditions permit, seek to develop more active relations with the Budapest regime, being prepared in appropriate circumstances to consider an exchange of Ministers.

Assigned to: State

52. At an appropriate time, remove the current restrictions against tourist travel to Hungary by U.S. citizens.

Assigned to: State

B. Information and Cultural

53. Encourage exchanges of athletes, musicians, educators, scientists, technicians, and professional people on a case-by-case basis but do not permit the sending of the Hungarian Folk Ensemble or similar large prestige attractions to this country until the campaign of repression and reprisals in Hungary has ceased.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

54. In VOA broadcasts to Hungary, continue to present accurate information on news events and aspects of life in America and the non-Communist world, as well as significant developments in the Communist world which are either ignored or distorted by Communist news media.

Assigned to: USIA

55. When circumstances permit, initiate some informational activities on the Legation’s premises, such as the use of window displays on a modest scale and the dissemination of popular U.S. publications to Legation visitors.

Assigned to: USIA

Supporting: State

56. As conditions permit, consider participation in the Budapest Industrial Fair and/or the Budapest Agricultural Fair to the extent possible in view of other commitments under the U.S. trade fair program. On a reciprocal basis, permit Hungarian participation at the New York Trade Fair or similar events in the United States.

Assigned to: State, Commerce, Agriculture, USIA

C. Economic

57. Continue to permit Hungarians to visit the United States for business purposes on a case-by-case basis provided adequate security safeguards can be maintained and provided such visits are consistent with U.S. economic and trade control policies.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Justice, Commerce

58. In working towards the satisfactory integration of Hungarian refugees in the Free World and in order to minimize redefections to Hungary:

a. Complete the processing of Hungarian refugees as part of the special immigration program under Public Law 85–316 and, pursuant to Public Law 85–559, continue to admit into this country for permanent residence Hungarian refugees paroled into the United States.

Assigned to: State, Justice

Target Date: September 1, 1960

b. Continue to employ the U.S. Escapee Program to care for and to assist in the resettlement of refugees in other countries, or, if resettlement is not possible, to arrange for their satisfactory local integration.

Assigned to: State

Rumania

A. Political

59. Make every effort to maintain close and continuous contact with the Rumanian Government on as high a level as possible. Even when the situation is such that there is little or no immediate bilateral business to be discussed, United States representatives should utilize every appropriate occasion to make clear to the Rumanian authorities United States views on important international issues and to encourage them to take these views into careful consideration.

Assigned to: State

60. Seek to establish and maintain contacts with Rumanians not directly connected with Government but influential in artistic, professional and technical fields.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

61. Continue on every appropriate occasion to point out to the Rumanians that United States restrictions on Rumanian diplomatic travel are purely retaliatory and will be eliminated whenever the Rumanians are willing to do likewise.

Assigned to: State

62. With regard to restrictions placed by the Rumanian authorities on the staff and functions of the American Mission in Bucharest, maintain a policy of strict reciprocity wherever feasible with respect to the staff and functions of the Rumanian Mission in the United States.

Assigned to: State

B. Information and Cultural

63. Encourage cultural, technical and educational exchanges between the United States and Rumania and be prepared to consider favorably such proposals as the Rumanians may make in this field which are not of a nature disadvantageous to the United States.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

64. In VOA broadcasts to Rumania, continue to present accurate information on news events and aspects of life in America and the non-Communist world, as well as significant developments in the Communist world which are either ignored or distorted by Communist news media.

Assigned to: USIA

65. Propose U.S. cultural exhibits and presentations in Rumania whenever the nature of available exhibits warrants and appropriate opportunity exists.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

66. In order to assure favorable treatment of U.S. presentations in Rumania, use the influence of the U.S. Government with exhibitors and impresarios in the United States to promote acceptance of reciprocal or equivalent Rumanian presentations in the United States.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

67. Assist, encourage and maintain close liaison with private groups and organizations such as universities and foundations which seek to develop exchanges of persons, materials and information with Rumania, where such proposed exchanges are clearly consistent with United States objectives.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA and other interested agencies

68. Although prospects for the establishment of a U.S. information library in Bucharest do not appear favorable at the present time, such a proposal should be renewed whenever circumstances may indicate possible Rumanian receptivity.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA

69. Continue such informational activities as are now undertaken, such as the Legation bulletin board and the dissemination of technical and popular U.S. publications.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: USIA

C. Economic

70. Advise and, when appropriate, assist U.S. businessmen who show interest in exploring Rumanian trade opportunities when such trade will not contravene strategic trade controls.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Commerce

71. Facilitate visits of Rumanian commercial missions to the United States, consistent with U.S. economic and trade control policies, and provided adequate security safeguards can be maintained.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Commerce, Justice

72. Be receptive to Rumanian proposals looking toward a solution of war damage and nationalization issues, and be prepared to discuss these issues with them, but maintain our position against joint examination of each individual claim as set out in the Rumanian-U.S. discussions of October–November 1956.

Assigned to: State

Supporting: Foreign Claims Settlement Commission

Note: The following National Intelligence Estimates are applicable:

NIE 12–58—Outlook for Stability in the Eastern European Satellites—4 February 1958.⁷

NIE 10–58—Anti-Communist Resistance Potential in the Sino-Soviet Bloc—4 March 1958.⁸

NIE 11–4–58—Main Trends in Soviet Capabilities and Policies, 1958–1963—23 December 1958.⁹

NIE 12–59—Outlook in the Eastern European Satellites (tentatively scheduled for consideration in July, 1959)¹⁰.

0. Source: Department of State, OCB Files: Lot 61 D 385, USSR & Satellites—Documents—1959–60. Secret. According to a covering memorandum by OCB Executive Officer Bromley Smith, this plan was a revision and updating of the plan approved by the Board on January 23, 1958, and was concurred in by the Board Assistants, on behalf of their principals, on July 2. No copy of the January 23 version has been found in Department of State files; in his covering memorandum, Smith instructed recipients to destroy copies of previous drafts of the plan as well as the January 23 version.
1. Regarding the OCB Operations Plans on Poland and Yugoslavia, see Part 1, footnote 1, Document 80 and Document 145, respectively.
2. For texts of the treaties of peace signed by the Allied nations with Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania at Paris, February 10, 1947, see 4 Bevans 403.
3. Not further identified.
3. Not further identified.
4. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Bulgaria were suspended on February 21, 1950.
5. The United States and Bulgaria agreed to resume relations on March 24, 1959; see the Supplement.
6. Edward Page, Jr., presented his credentials as Minister to Bulgaria on March 14, 1960.
7. Document 2.
8. Document 3.
9. Scheduled for publication in volume III.
10. Document 22.