Office of the Historian

87. Telegram From the Embassy in Bulgaria to the Department of State1

Sofia, November 1, 1978, 1000Z

3204. Subject: Markov Affair and Bulgarian-American Relations.

1. In a frank discussion at a private luncheon meeting, the Ambassador noted to Ambassador Gotsev, head of the MFA Fourth Dept (who will be accompanying Deputy Foreign Minister Tsvetkov to the US), that the Markov affair had generated real disquiet and concern in Washington. He noted that during his recent consultations the subject repeatedly arose and weighed quite negatively against other positive achievements in improving Bulgarian-American relations.

2. Gotsev was very attentive and reacted principally by sober silence. He asked whether it had influenced the decision not to hold a meeting of Foreign Minister Mladenov with Secretary Vance. The Ambassador replied that he did not know what considerations Secretary Vance might have had in mind, and that there were real scheduling problems, but that he did know that the matter did figure in the consideration of some senior officials who may have had a voice in the decision that a Vance-Mladenov meeting could not be arranged at this time.2 Gotsev made no comments on either the Markov affair itself nor on American or other Western press treatment of it, in marked constraint to earlier reported protests to several Western countries over press reactions.3

Garthoff
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780451–0481. Confidential; Limdis.↩
  2. In telegram 284347 to Sofia, the Department commended Garthoff for “the deft manner in which the Ambassador discussed this matter with Gotsev” and suggested that officials in Washington “plan to mention it to Tsvetkov in similar fashion during his visit.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780461–1109)↩
  3. In telegram 2268 from Sofia, October 27, the Embassy reported that Bulgarian officials complained to the British, Italian, and West German Governments over press treatment of Bulgaria regarding the Markov affair. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780444–0578)↩