390D.11/182

The Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray) to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)

My Dear Mr. Ambassador: We have received your despatch No. 1173, of August 8, 1939, regarding the citizenship of certain American nationals who are natives of parts of the Ottoman Empire detached by the Treaty of Lausanne. We are glad the Embassy is pressing the matter and that the Turkish authorities appear inclined to agree to a plan which would provide for a very simple process of releasing from Turkish allegiance the persons involved.

One minor point might be brought to the Embassy’s attention. The subject of the memorandum of conversation enclosed with your despatch No. 1173 refers to “former Ottoman subjects of Syrian origin who failed to opt under the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne.” We have endeavored, in our discussions with the Turkish Ambassador here and in the drafting of our communications on the subject, to include all persons in the specified category who are natives of parts of the Ottoman Empire detached by the Treaty of Lausanne—not merely former Ottoman subjects of Syrian origin. If we should make an agreement which referred only to natives of Syria (and the Lebanon), the Palestinians and Iraqis and others who are American citizens and who are similarly situated would be certain to object because we had not included them. We would like to make the agreement as broad as the Turks will allow. I have no doubt that you have the situation clearly in mind, but the heading of the memorandum of conversation called to our mind the desirability of mentioning the point to you.

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In general, the persons we desire to be covered may be described as follows: American citizens who are natives of parts of the Ottoman Empire detached by the Treaty of Lausanne and who are still regarded by the Turkish Government (for whatever reason) as owing allegiance to Turkey.

The wording of the exchange of notes or the Turkish decision in the matter may be of some importance, as I indicated in the last two paragraphs of my letter to you of July 20, 1938.12 Whatever the wording adopted may be, we should like to include all or as many as possible of the persons in the above category. It is presumed, of course, that you will send to the Department, before signature, the wording of any definitive exchange of notes which may be agreed upon.

The information in this letter may be entirely superfluous. We have felt the ideas worth mentioning, however, as of possible assistance.

Sincerely yours,

Wallace Murray