861.77 Chinese Eastern/659: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Grew) to the Secretary of State
18. Department’s circular of December 1, 4 p.m. Following is translation of statement concerning Russo-Chinese dispute and the Pact of Paris which the Minister for Foreign Affairs sent me tonight. He proposes to give it to the press tomorrow, December 11, and authorizes its immediate release to the press in the United States if you so desire.
“The Government of the United States of America, which took the initiative in extending the Pact of Paris to all countries, has informed Turkey, as a signatory of this pact, that by reason of the acute situation of the Sino-Soviet controversy and following consultation with five unspecified states, it delivered, through the instrumentality of the French Ambassador at Moscow, a note to the Soviet Government expressing its hope and belief that the latter would not neglect its obligations under the said pact in relation to the renunciation of recourse to war as an instrument of national policy. The Washington Government adds that at the same time it delivered an identic note to the Chinese Government and that notes of like tenor have been addressed by other states signatory to the Pact of Paris to the two interested parties. By the same communication, it invited Turkey publicly to express its opinion on this subject.
His Excellency, the Ambassador of the United States of America, who communicated the foregoing orally to me, has been requested by me to transmit to his Government the thanks of the Government of the Republic therefor.
While recalling that Turkey, which unreservedly adhered to the Pact of Paris—known as the Kellogg Pact—was also one of the first to ratify it and that, with the U. S. S. R., it is likewise one of the states [Page 415] signatory to the Litvinoff pact3 which gave immediate effect to the Pact of Paris in Eastern Europe, I explained the particular position of Turkey in this matter:
As a neighbor and friend of Soviet Russia, Turkey from the beginning has closely followed the Sino-Soviet controversy, in respect of the different phases of which Moscow has kept it informed. Turkey knew that Soviet Russia, loyal to the principles of the Pact of Paris and to the oriental policy which it is following in complete harmony with the spirit of the universal peace policy, had from the first proposed direct negotiations to the Chinese Government and in the course of this dispute had had no thought whatever of war.
According to the most recent information which we have received, direct negotiations between the Soviet Government and that of Mukden for the peaceful settlement of this controversy, which concerns the entire world, have begun.
Turkey has greeted this news with satisfaction, and I myself hope that the negotiations will provide for a successful conclusion, since the settlement of this dispute between the interested parties is wholly in accord with the general policy of peace as well as with their own interest. Moreover, we have learned through the press that the Chinese Government has likewise shown its peaceful intentions and has consented to enter into negotiations with the Soviet Government.
At the same time, I desire to emphasize that we have followed with real sympathy, as everywhere, the national movement in China and have always desired the maintenance of good relations between these two great neighboring countries.
In conclusion, I again express my conviction that the Pact of Paris is the most important work which has been accomplished in our time in the interest of peace.”
[Paraphrase.] The obviously biased, and in my view, unsatisfactory nature of this Turkish statement clearly is owing to the Foreign Minister’s leanings toward Russia, perhaps based more on viva than love, and probably is influenced also by the forthcoming visit of the Soviet Acting Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Karakhan, to Angora. [End paraphrase.]
- Telegram in two sections.↩
- This protocol was signed at Moscow, February 9, 1929, by Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Rumania, and the U. S. S. R.; League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. lxxxix, p. 369. Turkey’s accession thereto took place on April 1, 1929; British and Foreign State Papers, vol. cxxx, p. 631.↩