File No. 887.48/390
The Chargé in Turkey (Philip) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 15, 3.35 p. m.]
2029. My 1987,1 July 26, 2 p. m., and 1971,2 July 21, 4 p. m. Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me on 7th instant that he had again discussed with his colleagues the administration of relief in Syria and the Lebanon by a neutral committee, and that it had been decided definitely that this could not be permitted. He added that such relief was not judged essential, £20,000 having been placed at the disposal of Djemal Pasha for that purpose, which sum would be increased if necessary. I inquired if the susceptibilities of his Government concerning foreign relief might be overcome by an arrangement which would provide for the distribution of American supplies by agents of Red Crescent Society acting conjointly with American Red Cross delegates. The Minister seemed to think that this might be arranged provided the Americans did not come from abroad and were people favorably known to [Embassy?], though he thought it would be preferable if the American consular officers were to act as sole intermediaries. I said the consuls were necessarily obliged to remain at their posts and would not therefore be able to follow the details of the undertaking and tentatively mentioned the presence at Beirut of American Red Cross delegates. I also suggested the possibility of furnishing the destitute Armenians with relief supplies in the same manner. Halil promised to discuss with his colleagues the question of American relief in this aspect and inform me of the result.
Although I am strongly opposed to relegating to Ottoman Red Crescent or other Turkish officials the actual control or disposition of American relief supplies, yet under existing circumstances I think that some such arrangement as the above will be necessary in order to insure the receipt of relief by the destitute within a reasonable time, should the means suggested in my 1948,3 July 15, 10 a. m., not prove efficacious.