Evening star., 1946-03-10
u. 5. Expected 10 Tell
Russia Il Stands by
Position on Bulgaria
By Gornett D. Horner

BY 0ornett D. Horner
The United States is expected to
inform Russia this week that it
stands firmly by its position In
sharp controversy over the mean
Ing OF Big Three agreement to
give opposition parties a voice in
the Bulgarian government.
American officials, unshaken by
weekend Soviet charges that this
Government Is working to sabotage
the agreement, actually expect more
rock throwing" from Moscow be-
fore numerous troublesome issues
are settled.
At the same time, while not dis
counting the seriousness of prob
lens involved, they see no cause
for sudden alarm over Russo Amer
ican relations which never have
approached the harmony on polit-
ical matters that marked prosecu-
tlSn OF the war against the Axis.
Developments regarding Bulgaria,
Iran and Manchuria which gave the
appearance of new tension duringI
the past week have been building
up for months and involve little
surprise to those familiar with Sow
let policy, they pointed out.
Support Of UNO Firm.
The new element is that some
points of tension in relations with
Moscow have been brought more
into the open by Soviet actions and
plain speaking publicly on both sides
as the United States Government
strove to make clear that its sup
port of United Nations principles is
firm and undertaking.
Forecasting storm Of harsh
words from Moscow as part of a
determined effort to undermine the
American position, some authorities
here hope that once the Russians
are convinced of the firmness of
this Governments attitude they will
find way to cooperate in work.
ing out satisfactory adjustments.
A possibility was seen in some
quarters that a new meeting of the
Big Three chiefs of state will be
necessary to clear the air of the
suspicion and distrust" deplored by
Secretary of State Byrnes in his
recent radio speech serving notice of |
the new sternness in this Govern
ment's policy.
President Truman did not rule
out such meeting when asked
about it at his news conference Fri
day. but indicated he would not
take the initiative in calling 1t and
that 1t should be held in Washing
ton II at all.
Observers believe 1t Is more likely
that current difficulties will be
thrown into the lap of the United
Nations Security Council, meeting
In New York March 81.
Expected Developments.
Meanwhile, these developments
can be expected this week:
l. Secretary of State Byrnes' reply
to a Soviet note charging that a
message he sent to the Bulgarian
government on February % and
made public March was designed
to encourage disruption" of the
Big Three agreement on Bulgaria
because 1t insisted opposition party
leaders should enter the govern
ment on mutually acceptable
basis"
2. Publication Of a communica-
tion sent to Moscow last week In
protest against Russia's stripping Of
Japanese industries in Manchuria |
and putting pressure on China for
joint governmental operation Of
other enterprises there.
Offcials here also hoped for the
requested prompt" reply from
Moscow to this Governments de-
mand that Soviet troops be with
drawn Immediately from Iran to
promote international confidence"
From the American point of view,
the issue involved in the dispute
over Budgaria-as in the Iranian
and Manchurian situations lis
matter of principle whose impor-
tance is not limited to the particular
case.
Accord at Moscow in December.
The Big Three Foreign Ministers
agreed at Moscow last December
that two opposition party leaders
should be brought into the Soviet
sponsored Bulgarian government to
qualify it for Anglo-American rec
ognition. The conditions attached
to subsequent invitations to the op-
position leaders were not accepta-
BILE to them, and the Sofia govern
ment disclaimed any further re-
sponsibility for carrying out the
agreement
In its February % message, the
United States admitted the Moscow
agreement did not set forth any
specific conditions for inclusion of
the opposition representatives, but
insisted that it did anticipate their
participation would be on the basis
of mutually agreeable" conditions.
Russia rejects this thesis.
1t is the very essence of develop
ing democratic governments that
opposition representatives play an
active role, officials here point out
in emphasizing that the United
States could not accept a precedent