741.61/910: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:16 p.m.]
1630. My 1601, November 23, 6 p.m. The British Ambassador informed me today that he had received no reply to the British proposals submitted by him over a month ago to Vyshinski and that he was no less of the opinion that no reply would be received. Cripps added that since the interview reported in my telegram under reference he has had no further talks with Vyshinski or anyone in the Foreign Office and that he had decided as a matter of tactics not to press the subject for the time being especially as he feels that his position has been seriously prejudiced as a result of the publication by the British Broadcasting Corporation of the British terms, which he had solemnly assured Vyshinski would not be made public. The Ambassador today was more inclined to direct his charge of “sabotage” against the British Broadcasting Corporation rather than his Foreign Office since he said that almost all “leaks” in regard to Soviet-British relations had been given currency by that organization. In this general connection he informed me that he had sent several strong telegrams to the British Foreign Office concerning the fantastic report put [out] by the British Radio of my alleged visit to Sofia.
The Ambassador said that he had heard reports which indicate that certain Soviet airplane factories were working day and night producing planes for export to Germany.
In respect of the recent visit of the Secretary General of the Soviet Foreign Office to Sofia,44 Cripps is inclined to the view that the Soviet Government intervened diplomatically with the object of preventing Bulgaria from joining the Axis. He also told me that according to his information King Boris had gone to Berlin45 to ask Hitler not to [Page 632] compel Bulgaria to join the tripartite pact at the present time because of the possible consequences that such adherence might produce in the Balkans especially in the relations between Bulgaria and Turkey.
- Concerning the visit of Arkady Alexandrovich Sobolev to Sofia on November 25, see telegrams No. 188 and No. 189, December 18, from the Minister in Bulgaria, p. 537.↩
- Regarding the visit of King Boris to Berlin on November 17, see telegram No. 165, November 21, 4 p.m., from the Minister in Bulgaria, p. 529.↩