867.4016/741: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:23 p.m.]
338. Department’s telegram number 253, November 10, 6 p.m.30 and my telegram number 356[326], November 15, noon. Latest information makes me certain that Nationalist Government wishes to get rid of entire Greek and Armenian population of Anatolia and Constantinople and would like to have this a fait accompli or at least well under way before question of minorities arises at the conference.31 The Turkish feeling is that the presence of these people has offered most of the pretexts in the past for the political inroads of Western powers and further inroads of this sort are abhorrent to the newly awakened ideals of Nationalism in Turkey. This desire should be considered furthermore in connection with the problem of the continuance of the special privileges heretofore accorded to Greek and Armenian and other non-Moslem communities.
The refugee situation in Anatolia has not as yet become serious however and according to present indications I have hope that sufficient time for departure will be granted Christians to prevent the [Page 962] great hardships which were incident to the Smyrna evacuation. Men from 18 to 45 years of age are being detained but I have no information to the effect that they are being deported into the interior or maltreated.
Departure of Armenians and Greeks continues from Constantinople by the normal means of transport and is entirely voluntary and no measures have as yet been taken by the Turkish authorities to hasten it. As situation develops I will keep the Department informed.