demand and enforce its demand for reasonable treatment of such
Mission as this? To my mind we should demand right to bring in
and despatch such planes as we desire without reference to Russians.
  These planes should be loaded with such matter as we desire and
not subject to inspection by Russians. We should have free circula-
tion for ourselves and such Americans as we decide have legitimate
business in Bulgaria, this circulation not to be restricted by Russians
except in such actual limited places as they may desire to notify us
are being used for some secret work.
  15. These peoples, both Russian and Bulgarian, have respect but for
one thing and that is force. Every time we compromise with them
and give them anything, we lose. I am afraid we are following policy
of appeasement of late Mr. Chamberlain.50
  16. If there is to be no more cooperation and respect to be shown
America as represented in Bulgaria, our representation on ACC should
be withdrawn. Signed Crane.
  Sent Dept as 117; repeated Moscow as 62 and London as 54.
                                                          BARNE&

874.00/2-246: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Coun8elor of the Department of State
                       (Cohen), at London
SECRET                     WASHINGTON, February 5, 19463-3 p. m.
  1210. For Cohen. Urtel 1299, Feb. 2. I agree with your sugges-
tion that approach to Vyshinski be postponed until Bevin has an op-
portunity to confer with Houstoun-Boswall.
  We appreciate the possibility that any initiative by us at this time
might be interpreted by the Soviet Government as an indication of our
willingness to accept a pro forma solution in order to dispose of the
question. However, we have had the definite impression from recent
reports that the situation is deteriorating in Bulgaria, a condition ap-
parently confirmed by Foreign Minister Stainov as reported in Sofia's
tel. 113, Feb. 2.51 We have felt that if matters are allowed to drift it
will be even more difficult at a later date to achieve a satisfactory basis
for recognition than it is now. As regards the British view that new
elections would not differ in method or in result from those held last
November, it seems to us that some progress has been made toward
the achievement of freedom of expression for the opposition since that
date and that, if elections under some sort of guarantee could be held
before any marked retrogression in that respect takes place, such
elections would go as far toward the implementation of Yalta as does
the Moscow Agreement.

   Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister, May 1937-May 1940.
 " Not printed.



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