811.20 Defense (M)/281: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey ( MacMurray )
71. Department’s 66, August 28, 6 p.m. After exploring other possible sources of supply, the Defense Commission and Procurement Division are now convinced of the desirability of procuring Turkish chrome as soon as possible. The Department understands that there is approximately 100,000 tons of such chrome already mined in Turkey but that the British have taken title to it in accordance with the Anglo-Turkish financial agreement. The British authorities have indicated a willingness to sell this chrome to us (see Department’s 41, July 26, 6 p.m.) but point out that their Financial Agreement with Turkey prevents resale without Turkey’s permission.
You are instructed, therefore, to discuss with the Turkish Government urgently and vigorously arrangements whereby this Government could buy this chrome from Great Britain. The Turkish authorities will appreciate the fact that the purchase of this chrome by the United States is not intended to affect in any way the British-Turkish financial agreement or alter the continuing British undertaking to purchase chrome under that agreement.
The American Government desires to acquire the chrome now above ground in Turkey as a part of its defense program. You will therefore urge the Turkish authorities as a matter of the strongest interest of this Government that permission be granted for sale to us by the British as suggested above. You should, if necessary, remind the Turkish authorities that the United States, as a very exceptional measure, has recently permitted the exportation to Turkey of tetraethyl lead essential for aviation fuel. This permission was granted contrary to the firmly established policy of this Government and was made possible only as a result of the unusually friendly relations between the United States and Turkey. These considerations are well known to the Turkish Ambassador in Washington, who is now being informed of the present request of the American Government. It may also be pointed out that other Turkish requests of a similar nature, on which the Ambassador will be able to report, are now pending before this Government.
If, in spite of the above, the Turkish authorities refuse to permit our purchase of this chrome from Great Britain, you may suggest as an alternative, that the Turkish Government agree to the transfer to the Turkish Government of title to the chrome, and to the sale of this chrome by Turkey to the United States.
[Page 952]As regards the question of shipping, present indications are that a satisfactory solution to this problem may be found, possibly through the use of vessels of Panamanian registry.