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

740.0011 European War 1939/9322: Telegram

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

Ankara , March 25, 1941—6 p.m.
[Received 10:15 p.m.]

80. For Secretary and Under Secretary. I now learn that at Cyprus conference reported in my 74, March 21, Turks agreed to make fresh overtures to Yugoslavs for conference as to possible joint action in event of attack upon Saloniki which, if latter agreed, Turks would be prepared to regard a “mortal danger” (rather than “casus belli” as attitude reported in my 39, February 24⁴¹ would have warranted expecting); but that in view of Yugoslav crisis reported in Belgrade’s 219, March 21,⁴² Turkish Government suspended action on that undertaking and has only now consented under British pressure to send its Ambassador seemingly futile instructions to act thereon if he finds occasion suitable.

Repeated Athens, Belgrade.

MacMurray

41. Not printed.
42. Vol. ii, p. 963.