In a conversation with the British Ambassador, who came in to
participate in the exchange of ratifications of certain treaties, he
handed me the accompanying copy of the British note to Turkey.
[Annex]
The British Embassy
to the Department of State
On August 10th the British and Soviet Ambassadors in Angora
handed to the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs notes
containing a declaration confirming their respective
Governments’ fidelity to the Montreux convention and assuring
the Turkish Government that their respective Governments intend
scrupulously to observe the territorial integrity of Turkey.
The text of the notes which were in identical terms mutatis mutandis was as follows:
“The British Government confirms their fidelity to
Montreux convention and assure the Turkish Government
that they have no aggressive
[Page 892]
intentions or claims whatever with
regard to Straits. The British Government as also the
Soviet Government are prepared scrupulously to observe
territorial integrity of Turkish Republic.
While fully appreciating desire of Turkish Government not
to be involved in war, His Majesty’s Government as also
the Soviet Government would nevertheless be prepared to
render Turkey every help and assistance in the event of
her being attacked by any European Power”.
These notes were accompanied by oral preambles, the text[s] of
which were as follows:—
“United Kingdom oral preamble.
In view of anti-Russian propaganda by Germans, His
Majesty’s Government and Soviet Government have
considered it right to reaffirm categorically their
attitude towards Turkey in order that the Turkish
Government may be under no delusion in the formation of
their own policies towards Great Britain and the Soviet
Union.[”]
[“]Text of Soviet oral preamble:
As late as March 1941, that is to say during the period
of wellknown treaty relations between Soviet Union and
Germany, Soviet Government exchanged assurances that
[with?] the Government of
Turkish Republic [in?] connection with reports that were
then being spread to the effect that, if Turkey were
compelled to enter the war, the Soviet Union would take
advantage of Turkish difficulties to attack her. It will
be recalled that the Soviet Government for their part
considered it necessary at that time to declare that
such reports in no way corresponded to the attitude of
the Soviet Union and that if Turkey were in fact
attacked and compelled to enter the war for the defence
of her territory, she could count on the full
understanding and neutrality of the Soviet Union on the
basis of the non-aggression pact between the two
countries.
It is known that after the treacherous attack of Nazi
Germany on the Soviet Union, the Germans conducted and
are still conducting a malicious propaganda against the
Soviet Union intended inter alia
to bring about discord between the Soviet Union and
Turkey.
In view of the fact this propaganda, which is being
intensively conducted by the German Government, has
become even stronger at present and considering that in
the present international situation it is opportune that
an exchange of views should take place between the
Soviet Government and the Turkish Government on the
subject of relations between His Majesty’s Government,
Turkey and the Soviet Union, the Soviet Government have
instructed me, M. le Ministre, to make to Your
Excellency the following declaration.[”]
Simultaneously the British Ambassador handed to the Turkish
Minister for Foreign Affairs a letter stating that as far as the
British Government were concerned the declaration was intended
to be merely a repetition of their undertaking towards Turkey as
set out in Article 1 of the Anglo Turkish Treaty of October 13th
[19th], 1939. The declaration did not
in any way modify, extend or detract from the Anglo Turkish
Treaty.
