Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

811.20 Defense (M)/2412: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)

Washington, June 20, 1941—6 p.m.

95. Your 160, May 22, 3 p.m. In the course of a recent discussion with an officer of the Department regarding the possibility of using Turkish ships to transport chrome to Red Sea ports, the Turkish Ambassador²³ said he could see no reason why some such arrangement could not be made. He added that he would be glad to give us the names of the American vessels which are transporting goods for Turkey to Port Suez in the thought that if this information were transmitted to our Embassy at Ankara, arrangements could be worked out there for Turkish ships to carry chrome to Port Suez and pick up the cargo from the United States. He said he would be very glad to cooperate in this manner in any way he could since it seemed to him that it was to the mutual advantage of both Governments.

Please telegraph your comments.

Hull

23. Mehmet Münir Ertegün.