761.62/831: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:03 p.m.]
218. For the Secretary and Welles. Second section your No. 9957 delayed in transmission. I greatly appreciate this informative summary of Department’s information regarding German-Soviet relations.
[Page 536]Replying to your request for comment I submit that from this observation point it seems most probable that Germany and Russia must have agreed from the beginning and regardless of any more recent development of their relations to hold in abeyance any fundamental question as to the ultimate status of the Balkans and particularly of the Straits.
I noted Department assumes Turkey called upon Soviet Government for advice as to attitude towards Germany. Pending possible check on my conviction that such is not the case I hasten to point out that that assumption seems irreconcilable with statements made to me by Minister for Foreign Affairs (see for example my 214, Decembre 959) as well as with information received from colleagues in more intimate relations with this Government. It is difficult for any one in touch with strongly self-assertive anti-German temper of this Government to believe that Turks could have asked advice on that question.