890g.6363T 84/236: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain ( Houghton )
9. Department’s telegram No. 5 dated January 14, 10 p.m. Department has been informed by a representative of the American Group that the group believes that your representations to the British Foreign Office have resulted in pressure being used on British interests [Page 365] now in the Turkish Petroleum Company to make the necessary advance arrangements so that it will be possible for the American Group to take up its participation. Those advance arrangements of course would involve the adoption of the Working Agreement.
It is the belief of the American Group that Deterding7 sincerely desires to facilitate the consummation of such arrangements. Teagle,8 on January 14, cabled Deterding regarding Gulbenkian’s position. The following is an extract of that cable closely paraphrased:
It is incomprehensible to me that the Government of Great Britain should adopt any position other than the position that these efforts toward international cooperation are too important to permit their failure simply because one … person continues to maintain an inflexible attitude. I doubt not that you concur in this belief.
Deterding in his reply expressed his complete agreement, and in a concluding statement in paraphrase said:
I believe that much wholesome good could be accomplished if the Department of State could be induced to express to the other interested Governments an opinion similar to that held by us.
Cable developments.