Macedonian Question.

Dr. Radan Sarafoff recently approached the Military Attache regarding the Macedonian question. He expressed anxiety regarding Soviet threat to Bulgaria and urged in order that all possible forces might be mobilized to that end it was desirable to enlist support of Macedonian party. He thought they could be won over if they were given encouragement to hope that their national aspirations might be satisfied at hands of victorious allies. Records further conversation between Mr.Rendel and Dr. Sarafoff when Mr. Rendel explained that allies could not possibly give Bulgarian Macedonians any grounds for hope in that direction. Dr. Sarafoff said that Ivan Mihailoff was anxious to cooperate with Allied Powers and contemplated going to Paris and London.

Copies Belgrade and Athens.

I do not think we should have anything to do with the Macedonians, even if they do approach us in this way. We have evidence in Departmental Papers that members of the I.M.R.O. have approached this Italians and Germans (with some success), and possibly also the Russians. It appears as if they were trying anyone who could possibly be any use.

More over the Macedonians are not unified party, since not all support the leader Michailoffwho wanders from country to country, and whose whereabouts at the moment are really uncertain.

British Legation

SOFIA. 5th January, 1940.

Very Confidential

My Lord,

I have the honour to report that a certain Dr. Radan Sarafoff, who is a wellknown figure in Bulgarian society and is also my own medical adviser here, recently approached my military attache very confidentially in the following matter.

• 2. Dr. Sarafoff, who received his medical education in France and is, I believe, genuinely pro-Ally, is of Macedonian origin, and his uncle, Boris Sarafoff, was, I understand, a well-known Macedonian leader before the last war, and was assassinated by Panitza, who in turn was assassinated at the Burg Theater in Vienna by a Macedonian woman who subsequently became the wife of the present exiled Macedonian leader, Ivan Mihailoff. Dr. Sarafoff is well acquainted with Mihailoff and I believe remains in secret correspondence with him. I understand that Mihailoff is probably at this moment in Dresden.