874.00/5–3045: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 2—10:30 a.m.]
1819. In reply to my letters of May 26 (re Dept’s 1145, May 25, 8 p.m.) and May 27 (re Dept’s 1150, May 26, 5 p.m.) Vyshinski has now written me under date of May 29 that my information regarding [that?] the villa in whidi Barnes, Gen Orane and six “other US Army generals” (my letter referred to “six other members of the US Army”—this letter evidently crossed my latest letter to Molotov of May 29 to which I have received as yet no reply—re Dept’s 1170, May 28, 8 p.m.) are located five kilometers from Sofia has been cut off by a sizeable Russian military detachment commanded by Col Sviridov is not confirmed and is obviously based on some kind of a misunderstanding. Vyshinski continues that he must state that according to inquiries made by People’s Commissariat no obstacles have been placed in the way of Barnes’ freedom of movement by the Soviet authorities in Bulgaria. The note then states that the People’s Commissariat has also been informed that there have been no threats made to Dimitrov by the Bulgarian authorities. Vyshinski concludes that the Soviet Govt holds the view that the handling of this question comes entirely under the competence of the ACC and the Bulgarian Govt.
To Dept as 1819, rptd to London as 233, rptd to Sofia as 47.