Office of the Historian

51. Memorandum of Telephone Conversation1

Washington, June 4, 1964, 12:45 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • Possible Turkish Government Decision on Intervention in Cyprus

PARTICIPANTS

  • Turgut Menemencioglu, Turkish Ambassador
  • The Secretary
[Page 105]

The Secretary apologized for taking up a matter over the telephone with the Ambassador but since time was of the essence he was taking the liberty to do so. He said that the President had asked him to call the Ambassador most urgently and say that the President is gravely concerned by a statement which the Foreign Minister made to our Ambassador to the effect that a cabinet meeting was scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m. at which the question of intervention in Cyprus could be decided. We have considered we have had a flat assurance through the Foreign Minister such a step would not be taken and that there would be full consultation with allies. We would find this a very, very grave departure from our understandings and would have a serious effect on the problem of our security commitments with our allies. The President asked most urgently that we urge in the gravest terms that we have an opportunity for consultations on these matters.

The Turkish Ambassador responded that it was very difficult for him to get through quickly to Ankara and asked if the Secretary was also sending a message to Ambassador Hare. The Secretary replied in the affirmative, adding that he was requesting the Ambassador to exert every effort as well.2 Intervention would create most serious difficulties and we consider it cannot be done without consultation with allies. The Ambassador said he would attempt to get in touch with Ankara immediately.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–8 CYP. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Bracken and approved in S on June 15.↩
  2. Telegram 1285 to Ankara, June 4, 1:15 p.m., instructed Hare to see Inonu immediately, “calling him out of cabinet meeting if necessary” to express U.S. opposition to a military intervention in Cyprus and to “use all arguments in your arsenal to pull them back from any such decision and to insist upon consultation.” (Ibid.)↩