390D.11/181: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 4—1:50 p.m.]
39. Your 28, July 25, 3 [1] p.m. The competent officials in the Foreign Office reiterate that blanket action by categories as originally proposed by the Department is not possible under Turkish law. They state however that a plan has been evolved which has received the oral approval of the Minister of Interior and which will make possible the cancellation of the Turkish citizenship of all persons together with their wives and minor children named in lists received from the Turkish Consul General—such action to take place automatically as the lists are received by the Ministry of the Interior. They consider [Page 854] that with the formulation of this plan the major obstacle has been passed and anticipate no difficulties in agreeing upon a simple and expeditious procedure which would be acceptable to the Department for the establishment of the lists. The first reaction of the Foreign Office was favorable to the proposal to dispense with personal appearance. As this matter is related to other questions which have come up for immediate decision in connection with the annexation of the Hatay10 it is now to be hoped that a concrete proposal may soon be made.