467.11 W 89/39: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:10 p.m.]
325. Your telegram 224 of December 8.
1. Today, as a counterproposal to a plan which was discussed previously, Adnan Bey presented to me the following outline of an arrangement which he is ready to recommend that the Turkish Government accept:
The representatives of the United States and Turkey, acting in conformity with the exchange of letters on August 6, at Lausanne,43 [Page 1186] reserving for later discussion the subject of the reciprocal claims of American and Turkish nationals, have engaged in discussions at Constantinople since October 10 and have accepted the following arrangement:
A commission will be set up composed of four members, two named by each Government. This commission will meet at Constantinople directly after the treaty between the United States and Turkey, signed August 6, at Lausanne, is ratified. It will examine claims presented by either Government within six months of its constitution, with a view of determining the solutions which should be given them. Documents establishing the character, origin, and justification of each claim must be included in the dossiers of the claims.
The commission’s proceedings will be secret, and no part of them will be made public without the agreement of the American and Turkish Governments.
2. An arrangement such as described above, although certain details are omitted which might be desirable, would seem to be substantially like that which the Department gave me authority to make by an exchange of letters.… I believe that if it is the wish of the Department I could have the period for the presentation of claims extended to one year after ratifications of the treaty are exchanged and also have the commission set up six months after ratifications are exchanged instead of directly thereafter.
3. Adnan Bey is not willing that any special mention of the possibility that certain claims may be arbitrated be made in the arrangement.… He thinks that the proposed commission may recommend that certain claims be arbitrated and that such a recommendation may be accepted by the Turkish Government.
4. I recommend that the Department authorize me to sign the arrangement which Adnan Bey has proposed, with a revision extending to one year the time within which claims may be presented. I also recommend that the number of members of the commission be reduced to one for each Government, unless the Turks insist that they have two representatives. Instructions are requested.