867.24/214
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
His Majesty’s Government have now examined the memorandum regarding the procedure to be followed with regard to Lend-Lease aid to Turkey which was enclosed in Mr. Alling’s letter to Mr. Hayter of November 7th last,17 and desire to thank the United States Government for their agreement that assistance accorded to Turkey under the Lend-Lease Act shall continue to be furnished through the intermediary of the United Kingdom. They consider that the proposals contained in this memorandum constitute a suitable procedure for transfers of material to Turkey, and accordingly instructions have been sent to the competent British authorities to ensure that the stipulations contained in the memorandum are carried out.
[Page 936]- 2.
- As regards paragraph 5 of the memorandum, it will be realised that cash-reimbursable Lend-Lease transactions temporarily reduce the amount of Lend-Lease appropriations available, and His Majesty’s Government therefore attach the greatest importance to the understanding in this paragraph of the memorandum that there will be prior consultation between the American and British authorities regarding the Turkish need for the commodities concerned. Moreover deliveries to Turkey of most types of war material, however financed, must be at the expense of deliveries to Great Britain, and this is further reason for friendly consultation when relevant cases arise.
- 3.
- As regards paragraph 7 of the Department’s memorandum, His Majesty’s Government agree that the Lease-Lend administration should be informed of all Turkish requests received by the British authorities in the United States. Such requests might emanate either from the British authorities in London or from the Turkish authorities in Washington. In the latter case the British authorities in the United States, before communicating with the United States authorities, would propose to inform His Majesty’s Government of the requests received, in order to avoid the risk of a duplication and to enable His Majesty’s Government to define their attitude to the requests.
- 4.
- In order to facilitate the carrying out of the above procedure His Majesty’s Government have arranged to make room under their share of Lease-Lend appropriations for any special requests filed with the United States Government on behalf of Turkey.