874.00/3–2945: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
735. See Sofia’s 38, February 27;2 41, March 2;3 47, March 7;4 50 and 51, March 9,5 and 58, March 14.6 We agree with Barnes that the operation of democratic processes in Bulgaria and the principle of representative government will meet a major test in the forthcoming elections. Our concern with this question now passes beyond the historical interest of Americans in the progress of the Bulgarian people and our rights and obligations under the armistice, and becomes a responsibility which this Government together with the Soviet Union and Great Britain has publicly proclaimed in the Crimea Declaration.
The trend of developments as Bulgarian groups prepare their plans for the election campaign already demonstrates the need for the principal Allied Governments to arrange for consultation in order to discharge the responsibilities they have jointly agreed on for just such situations as, in our opinion, we now find in Bulgaria. We see [Page 180] grave danger in the insistence by minority elements in the Fatherland Front that only a single FF list be presented to the electorate against the desire of others, notably the Agrarians, for individual party lists. The importance of these procedures cannot be overemphasized in view of the fact that any election which may be held will return members to the Sobranje which will in turn not only determine the future governmental structure in Bulgaria but also have the constitutional power of confirming the decree laws by which the FF is now governing the country, including those establishing the electoral procedures.
We consider that all political parties within the framework of the FF or other democratic political groups which might desire to put forward a program should have full freedom to bring their individual platforms to the attention of the electorate and to present their separate lists of candidates for the voters’ choice. There should also be full safeguards to protect the rights of the electorate in the period preceding the elections and in the conduct of the polling, and to ensure absolute secrecy of ballot. We think that firm advice to this effect should be communicated to the Bulgarian Government in the name of the three principal Allies.
Please inform the Soviet Government that our information regarding Bulgarian electoral plans contains clear indications that the Bulgarians are not able without assistance to hold “free elections” by which governments can be established which will be “responsive to the will of the people.” We accordingly believe that the three Allied Governments should now take steps to ensure that whatever elections are held in Bulgaria conform to the principles already agreed upon as applicable to the former Axis satellite states. In order to make certain that the Bulgarian people shall have the benefit of truly free elections, we would suggest (a) that the three Governments promptly agree to apply in Bulgaria policies and procedures such as those indicated in the preceding paragraph and (b) that in order to ensure the application of these policies and procedures a committee be formed in Sofia, independent of the ACC, composed of the American and British political representatives in Bulgaria, together with the representative to be designated by the Soviet Government, for the purpose of advising the Bulgarian Government in electoral matters and reporting to the three Governments on all developments related to the holding of elections, including recommendations as to the most equitable timing of the elections. Alternatively we would be willing to participate in a special tripartite commission to be sent into the country for this purpose. We suggest that the Bulgarian Government be immediately informed that discussions are in progress on the subject between the three Governments pursuant to the Yalta pronouncements, and be requested meanwhile to abstain from [Page 181] making any definitive arrangements or public announcements with respect to the date of the elections or the electoral procedure to be followed in connection therewith. We are acquainting the British Government with the substance of this instruction and requesting an expression of its views and an indication of the action it contemplates taking.
You should stress the importance of timely action and indicate the intense interest of the American public in developments of this nature in their relation to the accomplishments of the Crimea Conference.
Sent to Moscow; repeated to London and Sofia.7