740.00119 European War 1939/323

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray)

During a call from the Turkish Ambassador this morning he again inquired as to what, if any, developments had occurred in the proposed sending of a representative from this Government to confer with certain notables of the Islamic world. I told the Ambassador that nothing had happened since our last conversation.

The Ambassador said that he desired again to make it clear, and trusted that he had sufficiently emphasized during previous conversations, that in case such a proposal came to fruition Turkey would find herself in an embarrassing position, either if she were approached or if she were ignored. He did, however, make the suggestion today that if the Turkish President were directly approached in the matter he might find it possible to influence, through the Director of the Bureau of Religious Affairs, the prayers given in the mosques of the country so that the idea of world peace might be duly emphasized.

Wallace Murray

[The plan for consultation with leaders of the Eastern Orthodox and Mohammedan faiths was abandoned.]