Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
Prime Minister Churchill to President Roosevelt 1
Prime Minister to President Roosevelt Personal and Top Secret No. 804.
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Para 2. U. J.’s doctors do not like him flying and I suppose there would be the same difficulties in Russian warships coming out of the Black Sea as of American and British warships coming in. One way [Page 11] would be for Turkey to declare war, which I expect she would be very willing to do. But I am not at all sure that the Russians would welcome this at the present juncture in view of what I told you about their wish for revision of the Treaty of Montreux.2 Alternatively we could ask Turkey to waive the Montreux Treaty for the passage either way of the said ships. This I expect the Russians would like. But I am not so sure about the Turks. From what I saw of the Crimea it seems much shattered and I expect all other Black Sea ports are in a similar state. We should therefore in all probability have to live on board our ships. I am inquiring about Athens from Eden who will be there in a day or two. Personally I should think it a splendid setting and here again we should have our ships handy. Cyprus is of course available where absolute secrecy, silence and security can be guaranteed together with plain comfortable accommodation for all principals. Will you telegraph to U. J. on the subject, or shall I? Or, better still, shall we send a joint message?