Bulgarian Legation, Washington, to Bulgarian Foreign Ministry

Strictly Confidential! By courier

Legation of the

People’s Republic of Bulgaria

2100 16th Street NW

Washington DC

Outgoing Nr. C 561/29.X.62

TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CABINET OF THE MINISTER

SOFIA

As we have already informed the Ministry with a cable, with regard to the extremely tense international situation and a direct threat of an imminent war, we have destroyed all confidential reports, memos, instructions, work plans and accounts, as well as correspondence, in order to prevent the enemy from getting hold of them. We have kept only the materials concerning the code, the Embassy annual work plan and the last quarterly plan, which are of confidential nature but due to their small volume, are easy to destroy if the need arises. All destroyed materials were included in a list with incoming and outgoing reference numbers.

With regard to the Cuban crisis and the high chance for provocations and attacks against legation facilities, employees and their families, we have strengthened the security of the room where the coded materials and other secret correspondence are kept. For this purpose, we have appointed three guards on over-night duty after working hours – two in the room with secret materials and one in the adjacent room – who will be able to give a timely warning of any imminent threat. All flammable materials have been thrown away from the offices and the basement, and all fire protection facilities [have been] checked.

The employees and their families were summoned and instructed what precautions to take in order to increase their level of alertness and to prevent provocations like kidnapping, attacks, beating, etc.

I should mention that during these days of extreme tension and anxiety, a sense of duty and the self-confidence [on behalf] of all employees in the Legation, in the Commercial and Military missions is required. We are proceeding with all special measures to strengthen security and to raise the alert-level and readiness of employees and their families.

27 October 1962

Washington