511.4 A 2/90b: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the High Commissioner in Turkey ( Bristol )

163. The Department hopes that the Government of Turkey will be represented at the forthcoming opium Conference at Geneva in November next. The question of production of raw opium is one of prime importance and without the cooperation of the producing countries, it will be difficult to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The Department suggests, therefore, that you communicate the views of this Government to the Government of Turkey through appropriate channels in substantially the following form:

“As the Government of Turkey is undoubtedly aware, a conference to consider measures to restrict the traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs will be held in Geneva in November of this year. This is a humanitarian question of world wide importance in which the Government of the United States has always been deeply interested, and it is hoped that the Turkish Government will find it possible to participate in the work of the Conference.

One of the principal questions to be considered is the production of raw opium and its transportation in international commerce. It is the earnest hope of this Government that the Government of Turkey will cooperate in an international effort to terminate the production and transportation of raw opium in quantities over and above those needed for medicinal purposes, thereby attacking the problem at its source.

The Government of the United States would be glad to have the views of the Government of Turkey in this regard, and hopes that the delegates at the Conference will be prepared to discuss sympathetically this fundamental point, with a view to accepting the principle.”82

Hughes
  1. An undated telegram from the High Commissioner, received Oct. 24, 8:37 a.m., informed the Department that the Turkish Under Secretary of State for Agriculture had been appointed delegate to the Conference (file no. 511.4A2/120).