867.24/167: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)
141. Your 289, August 9, 4 p.m. The injunction to secrecy contained in the Department’s 128, July 18,86 was in accordance with the strong desire of the British Government that no intimation of any kind be given the Turkish authorities that Turkey was being placed in a lower category of priorities.
The restrictions contained in the Department’s No. 110 June 28, resulted from a desire not to give the Turkish Government hopes which might not subsequently prove justified in connection with pending lend-lease applications for Turkey, as well as a desire not to give the Turks any basis for claiming subsequently that we had agreed to furnish further aid if Turkey took favorable action regarding specific matters such as chrome.
While the above considerations continue to be valid, the Department is in accord with your suggestion that appropriate use should be made of information regarding facilities being accorded Turkey, along the lines indicated in your telegram No. 289, August 9, 4 p.m. You may therefore use the information which has been furnished you in such a manner as will, in your best judgment, strengthen the will of Turkey to resist aggression and to remain loyal to her British alliance.
The Department will endeavor to furnish you with information periodically regarding the material assistance which is being rendered to Turkey, although there is some difficulty in obtaining complete or entirely current reports, due to the variety of the types of requests made for facilities to Turkey, by no means all of which are for Lend-Lease aid.
- Not printed.↩