Telegram no.475 from 30 July sent by the Romanian Ambassador in Sofia, explaining the refusal of Marshall Plan by Bulgaria 

Treaty establishing the Warsaw Pact in response to the integration of West Germany into NATO.

In a memorandum, Konstantin Tellalov, Head of the Foreign Policy and International Relations Department of the Central Committee of BCP, and Foreign Minister Ivan Bashev evaluate Cuban-Bulgarian relations. Tellalov and Bashev contextualize Cuba's development both nationally and internationally. Cuba's primary concerns are related to its economy (re: housing, rationing, embargo). Cuba's leadership continues to display a limited understanding of Marxism-Leninism, scientific planning (central planning), and the importance of COMECON. Taking into consideration the Bulgarian delegation’s recent visit to Cuba, they stress the importance of Cuba's success and the need for a radical, all-embracing commitment to relations.

In a memorandum to the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party Politburo, Gero Grozev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, critiques the Cuban Communist Party and its approach to building socialism. Grozev describes Cuba’s increasingly poor relations with European communist parties, interference in Latin American affairs, and misunderstanding of Marxist-Leninist principles. Grozev continues describing Cuban leaders as committed functionaries unaware of their mistakes. To correct Cuba’s mistakes socialist countries should increase contact with the Cuban government and help it develop economically and mature politically.

In a report on the Cuban Communist Party, Bulgarian Embassy counselor S. Cohen discusses strengths and concerns with the Cuban goverment. The Cuban revolutionary movement debunked the theory of geographically determined fatalism, but also displays a strong dependence on the Latin American liberation movement (e.g. Jose Mari, Simon Bolivar) for inspiration instead of socialist principles. Cohen reports negative developments including the Cuban government’s growing ambition to rule the Third World revolutionary movement and strong belief in the Cuban armed struggle as a template for all national liberation movements. The Cuban delegation strongly endorsed armed struggle as the only means of socialist advancement at the Tricontinental Conference recently held in Havana. Bulgaria must remain close with the Cuban government to help it develop economically and mature politically.

The Bulgarian Embassy in Havana reports to the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party and the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on political, economic, and cultural developments in Cuba circa 1963. Cuba is politically united, but is experiencing economic hardship after the “Caribbean Crisis” primarily because of the US embargo. In the report, embassy staff reviews developments between socialist countries and Cuba throughout 1963. Some examples include communist aid to Cuba after Hurricane Flora and Cuba’s stance on Sino-Soviet relations. Bulgaria’s show of solidarity resulted in concrete political, economic, and cultural cooperation. Embassy staff notes the drawbacks and benefits of Bulgaria’s relationship with Cuba.

In a report to First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party, Todor Zhivkov, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Georgi Kumbiliev, reviews Cuba’s need for weapons and credit. Kumbiliev relays a weapons request for Latin American revolutionary movements and an extension of financial assistance to Cuba. Kumbiliev advises Zhivkov to respond to the Cuban government’s requests and consider providing surplus Bulgarian weapons free of charge and extending a 5-year-term loan to Cuba starting 1 Jan 1963.

Leonid Ilyich analyzes the establishment of US-Chinese diplomatic relations and recent developments in Iran and the Middle East. Todor Zhivkov talks about Bulgaria’s economic development and the Soviet cancellation of Bulgarian debt.