740.00119 Control (Bulgaria)/7–2646: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:50 p.m.]
2293. In our opinion it would serve no useful purpose to make representations in Moscow in regard to unsatisfactory situation of air clearances in Bulgaria unless Department wishes to have on record one more complaint which Soviets will disregard or at best reply to evasively.40 In latter regard Department will have noted that Vyshinski (reEmbtel 940, March 25, paragraph 3) replied to our last complaint by quoting general figures over a period which in reality [Page 125] took no account of unsatisfactory procedure by which clearances for aircraft were granted.
Neither do we believe that this is appropriate time to take up question in view of possibility of conclusion of peace treaty with Bulgaria when ACC will cease to exist. In our opinion, while General Robertson should continue to press issue in Sofia, full facts might now be given by War or State Department to American press for full dissemination in US. This course of action has further advantage of placing responsibility for unsatisfactory situation in Sofia squarely on shoulders of those on whom it belongs.
War Department might wish to consider advisability of tightening up procedure for Soviet flights into Japan to make them similar to latest Soviet procedure in Balkans for air flight clearances.
Department please pass to Sofia as Moscow’s 39.
- Telegram 1322, July 19, 1946, to Moscow, reported that the Soviet authorities in Bulgaria had imposed new instructions governing the flight of aircraft to and from Sofia and that American efforts to make satisfactory arrangements on the matter in Sofia had been unsuccessful. At the request of the War Department. Ambassador Smith was asked to comment on possible representations to the Soviet Government. (740.00119 Control (Bulgaria)/7–1346)↩