890g.6363 T 84/163: Telegram
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Kellogg) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:33 p.m.]
393. The matter referred to in the Department’s 331, of September 20, was discussed in detail today with an official of the Foreign Office, and an intimation was given of our hope that we could reach a settlement through informal discussion rather than by making formal representations to the Foreign Office. Mr. Wellman had already several times conferred with me. At the Foreign Office I received positive assurance that they have a sincere desire to see a fair participation given to the American interests and to expedite the conclusion of arrangements already drawn up and agreed to by the four groups concerned. Nichols of the Turkish Petroleum Company had already brought to the attention of the Foreign Office the obstructive attitude of Gulbenkian, and at interview today the Foreign Office official intimated on his own initiative that he would try to find out whether Gulbenkian’s attitude might not somehow be altered.