File No. 763.72119/206
The Ambassador in Turkey (Elkus) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 15, 9 a. m.]
2327. Halil Bey, Minister for Foreign Affairs, this morning read and delivered to me a note of which there follows a translation, requesting that I transmit the same to you and to the Governments of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Belgium, and Serbia.
After this note was read to me, I asked the Minister what, if any, were the conditions of peace which his Government desired to propose. Minister replied that he could not now name any but that if the enemy powers declared that they were willing to negotiate a peace satisfactory to their own honor, the conditions would then be named. I then inquired, presuming the enemy governments stated they were willing to agree to a peace satisfactory to their honor and defense, what would be the next procedure; would a conference of representatives be requested or what other step would in the opinion of Turkey and her allies be taken. The Minister replied that he was not as yet prepared to say. The Minister told me that identic notes [Page 92] were being delivered to our representatives in Berlin, Vienna, and Sofia.1 . . .