767.68119/178: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Special Mission at Lausanne
8. Replying to Mission’s 11 of November 22. It is the desire of the United States Government to support any constructive measure designed to obtain due consideration for the welfare of Christian minorities in Turkey, in which this country takes a deep interest. Desiring particularly to prevent the expulsion of minorities during the inclemencies of winter, the Department charges you in your discretion to seize every occasion to bring to the attention of the Turkish delegates that their case is being seriously injured in the eyes of the world by their failure to indicate plainly that it is neither their purpose nor their wish to evict a population of more than a million in circumstances which are sure to inflict the extremities of privation and even death. See Department’s 4 of November 2122 for statements of Admiral Bristol which you could employ in your informal representations.
[Page 903]Department concurs in your opinion that the Turks would be unwilling to surrender any territory for the occupation of an independent Armenian nation. Moreover, it is the view of the Department that even should Turkey be forced to give up certain areas in Cilicia or along the Caucasus frontier, the Armenians would still not enjoy complete inviolability. The idea that later on the Ottoman Armenians might be united with the Russian Armenians in the northeast has been entertained by the Department, but appears impracticable in present economic situation. …
The Department desires you to discover if possible by consulting other delegates and to report again by telegram whether the Allies have developed projects for the relief of the Armenians. But you should, on your own part, avoid making any proposals.
- Not printed; for statements of Admiral Bristol referred to here, see his telegrams no. 326, Nov. 15, 1922, and no. 338, Nov. 19, 1922, Foreign Relations, 1922, vol. ii, pp. 958 and 961.↩