711.672/565: Telegram
The High Commissioner in Turkey (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 17—6:30 a.m.]
15. Upon the receipt of the Department’s telegram No. 7, February 14, 6 p.m., I immediately communicated in person to Tewfik Rouschdy Bey the request that the texts of the notes should not be made public for the present. To this he agreed. The semiofficial press this morning carried the following account:29
“Having taken cognizance of the fact that the American Senate rejected the Treaty of Lausanne by an insignificant majority, it was most natural that the two parties, solicitous of their interests, should seek a common ground to save their mutual interests. The Hakimiet-I-Milliet states that the Constitution of the United States accords the President the right to reestablish diplomatic relations with Turkey by a simple exchange of letters and notes. It is on these grounds that the negotiations have been pursued for some time between Admiral Bristol and our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
It is pointed out that the negotiations mentioned above provide for a prolongation for 1 year of the provisional commercial treaty now in effect; the reestablishment of official relations on the basis of the Treaty of Lausanne and of international arrangements and consequently the immediate appointment of Ambassadors of both parties. At the same time a consular convention and treaties of commerce and residence are determined.
[Page 794]The Hakimiet-I-Milliet observes that signature by the two parties on the bases mentioned above is a simple question of days and draws attention to the importance of this agreement both from a material and moral point of view.”
Such a statement must obviously have been inspired by Government sources. I was not consulted beforehand regarding its publication. It is my belief, however, that this publicity does not conflict with the desire of the Department that for the time being the texts of the two notes should not be given publicity.
The notes as modified by the Department’s instructions will be signed tomorrow afternoon.
- Quotation not paraphrased.↩