740.0011 European War 1939/17306
The Yugoslav Minister (Fotitch) to the Secretary of State
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your Notes of May 28th, and September 25, 1941 in which you have made reference to the indignation of the American Government and of the American people in regard to the invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia by the various states adhering to the Tripartite Pact. I desire again to express to Your Excellency the deep sense of gratitude with which the Royal Yugoslav Government received this declaration.
I have now been instructed by my Government to register an emphatic protest against the incorporating of national Yugoslav territory by the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Following the German attack on Yugoslavia and the subsequent military occupation of its territory, the German military authorities have allowed the Bulgarian army to take possession of certain southern and eastern parts of Yugoslav national territory. Bulgarian military cooperation with Germany on that occasion has caused the Royal Yugoslav Government to declare war on Bulgaria—a fact of which Your Excellency has been apprised.
It appears to be clear that the Bulgarian Government consider these territories as definitely and permanently included within Bulgarian national boundaries. This view is borne out by the various Bulgarian declarations which have been made by responsible officials, and more particularly by the actions of the Bulgarian Government which, by changing the legal status of the occupied Yugoslav areas, patently exceed the limits of their rights as the authority of occupation.
There have been published by the Bulgarian Government in their official gazette (No. 166 of July 31 of this year) three decrees of which the first, under No. 2620, concerns the creation of the new Bulgarian district of Skoplje; the second, under No. 2618, creating the district of Bitolj, and the third, under No. 2619, joining four Yugoslav counties to the existing district of Sofia. Moreover, the Bulgarian Government is carrying on military recruitment in these Yugoslav territories.
The Royal Yugoslav Government have the honor to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the facts referred to above which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and usage and desires to register with Your Excellency a most emphatic protest against this new attempt at dismemberment of the Yugoslav State, this time by Bulgaria.
Accept [etc.]