Office of the Historian

President Roosevelt to the British Prime Minister (Churchill)15

[Washington,] 25 February 1944.

482. For the Former Naval Person.16 I have received the following message dated 21 February from Harriman in regard to our report of an attempt at peace conversations by Bulgaria:

“First—The Soviet Government agrees that Bulgaria should be asked to send a fully qualified mission to confer with representatives of the United States, Great Britain and the U.S.S.R. Cairo is preferred by the Soviet Government as the place for such a conference because a responsible Soviet Representative is now there. Second—the Soviet Government considers that it is for the Governments of the United States and Great Britain to reach a decision in connection with the request of the Bulgarian Government that Allied air raids and bombing of Bulgaria be stopped for a few days.”

I would be pleased to have your reaction to this message and, if you approve of the Soviet attitude, a suggested line of approach to the Bulgarians.

Roosevelt
  1. Copy of telegram obtained from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, N.Y.↩
  2. Code name for Winston S. Churchill.↩