RELATIONS BROKEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 110, 22 February 1950, Page 5

RELATIONS BROKEN

U.S. ANSWERS BULGARIA CLIMAX TO DISPUTE (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) (9.55) WASHINGTON, Feb. 21. The United States to-day broke oft diplomatic relations with Bulgaria. It has ordered its Minister, Mr Donald Heath, and other American representatives in Sofia, to leave for United States; and has directed Bulgaria to withdraw its diplomatic mission from Washington.

The break climaxes a dispute with Bulgaria over Communist attacks on Mr Heath and a demand from the Bulgarian Government for Mr Heath’s recall. The United States communicated its decision to the Bulgarian Government at Sofia yesterday. It summoned Dr. Peter Voutov, Bulgarian Charge d’Affaires in to the State Department to-day and informed him of the action. The State Department directed Voutov to make arrangements to leave the United States with other Bulgarian Legation members and their families.

This is the first time the United States has broken off diplomatic relations with any nation since the war. The break was the direct result of a Bulgarian request for American withdrawal of Mr Heath. The State Department said, a month ago, that it would break off diplomatic relations, unless Bu?garia cancelled its request. Bulgaria did not reply to this ultimatum.

“Intolerable Indignities” The State Department Note to the Bulgarian Government accused Bulgaria of subjecting Mr Heath and liis staff to a “long series of intolerable restrictions and indignities,” and added: /‘The conclusion is inescapable that, the Bulgarian Government is unwilling to modify the position it has taken, that it is unwilling to treat American official representatives in Bulgaria in accordance with the standards of established international practice, and, consequently, that it is unwilling to maintain normal diplomatic relations with the United States.” ' The Note said that diplomatic relations between the United States and Bulgaria had been neither friendly nor cordial since they were established in September, 1947. It continued: “Cordiality was scarcely to be expected when Bulgarian officials and a controlled press were constantly denouncing and insulting the United States, and when the Bulgarian Government was violating its peace treaty obligations, ignoring resolutions of the United Nations, and supporting armed action against Qreece. “It was‘the hope of the United States Government, however, that relations, if not cordial, at least might be correct, but the treatment accorded to the American LegatiSn. in Sofia, including crippling restrictions on the entry and movement of American officials assigned to the Legation and an unprincipled campaign of- persecution against the Legation’s Bulgarian employees, left no doubt that the Bulgarian Government did not. accept even the minimum standards of international practice.

Torture Allegations

“Despite all these difficulties, the United States Government wished to maintain diplomatic contacts with Bulgaria, because of .the sincere desire of the American people to work toward a better understanding with the Bulgarian people, wherewith ties of friendship linked them in the past.’ The American statement said that the Bulgarian Government, while publicly professing to be a true defender of democratic liberties, in practice relentlessly suppressed those liberties. “It does not hesitate to persecute anyone who is courageous enough to express, or even hold, views which do not coincide with its own.” The statement charged the Bulgarian police with shocking actions against the American Legation’s Bulgarian employees. “They threatened, arrested and tortured these employees, for the dual purpose of extorting fictitious confessions • of espionage activities, incriminating themselves and official American personnel, to be used in slanderous propaganda charges against the United States, and to frighten the remaining employees into resigning, or serving as spy informers.” The State Department announced that it had asked the Swiss Government to look after American interests in Bulgaria.