Bulgarian Embassy, Athens (Minchev), Cable to Foreign Ministry

In his cable to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, Ambasador Kiril Shterev reports information about expected US assistance to Greece in 1963. Shterev acquired the information during lunch with the Greek Charge d' Affaires, Counselor Kalougeras. Kalougeras also mentioned Turkey's possible entrance into the European Economic Community and inquired about US-Bulgarian relations.

Bulgarian General Consul in Istanbul Dimo Karadimov reports to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry news of new ballistic missiles in Turkey. Specifically, Karadimov notes that the US military will replace Jupiter missiles with Polaris missiles within the year. Karadimov cannot confirm NATO's involvement.

Bulgaria's Charge d' Affaires to the US Kiril Shterev writes to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explaining that the US planned on stationing B47 bombers in Turkey once the Jupiter missiles are removed from Turkey. Shterev cites journalist Paul Scott as his source for the information about the display of the Unites States' military presence.

Bulgarian Charge d’Affaires in the US Kiril Shterev reports to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that US Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric stated that three submarines carrying Polaris missiles will be deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. The deployment follows US withdrawal from Italian and Turkish bases after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Bulgarian Ambassador to Greece Nikolai Minchev relays recent newspaper reports to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minchev summarizes a recent NATO meeting in Athens where NATO staff and Turkish and Greek military personal discussed security in the two nations and the Balkan region as a whole.

Deputy Forieng Minister Lubomir Angelov transmits to Bulgaria's embassy in Turkey information from Bulgarian Ambassador to Great Britain Radenko Grigorov. Angelov's message is handwritten and reports news about Soviet and US submarine presence in the Mediterranean, which initially Grigorov acquired from Turkey's ambassador to Great Britain.

On 5 July 1963 the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs completed an information report on NATO's activity during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the report, the ministry outlines detailed espionage carried out by NATO agents. According to the report, the NATO Military Intelligence Services provided instructions for NATO member-states' military attaches stationed in Warsaw Pact countries and agents they could get to cooperate with them. Agents were to observe and report specific military intelligence collecting in Warsaw Pact countries -- arms deliveries, missile sites, military movements, etc. The report also includes explanation of how the attaches carried out their intelligence gathering -- reading official press, speaking in Russian and misrepresenting themselves as Russian, etc . The Bulgarian Interior Ministry notes that Western governments were well-informed of Bulgarian military structures -- including exact formations and secret designations.

Bulgaria's General Consul in Istanbul, Turkey, reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs information he received from the Chief of the Greek General Staff to Turkey. As recorded, the Greek General Staff reported a meeting between Turkish and Greek governments. The governments discussed a non-aggression pact between Warsaw Pact and NATO countries and the use of Polaris missile submarines in Turkish waters.