867.24/360: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
789. My 751 and 752, July 17, and Department’s 354, July 22. I informed the Prime Minister this afternoon of substance of Department’s telegram under reference. He requested me to convey to Department his deep appreciation for the prompt and effective action which it contemplates taking to assist him in meeting an extremely difficult situation.
In response to my inquiry as to whether shipment of 15,000 tons of wheat within next 60 days in addition to such tonnage as his Government might be able to charter would meet the situation (and after I had pointed out to him that it would be extremely difficult to divert additional United States ships due to urgent priorities to battle areas) he replied that while of course he was desirous of obtaining maximum possible quantity of wheat during next few months he was unwilling to request “our allies” to divert tonnage which was carrying war material to battle front. He then informed me that in addition to his endeavor to charter small French ships interned in Turkish ports he was hopeful of being able to charter several large French merchantmen now in French ports. I assured him that wheat would be promptly forthcoming for such ships as his Government succeeded in sending to American ports for that purpose.
While sufficient time has not yet elapsed for me to have received a reply from my British colleague who is spending a few days on the Bosphorus or from the Middle East Supply Center to my inquiries as to whether 15,000 tons of wheat can be made available for Turkey from the Middle East Supply Center within the time contemplated for delivery from the United States, I am reasonably certain that no such quantity is available. However, irrespective of whether any part of the 15,000 tons can be made available by the Middle East Supply Center, I urgently recommend that 15,000 tons of wheat be shipped from the United States to Turkey as filling cargo during the next 45 to 60 days and that instructions be issued to the Middle East Supply Center to make every effort to expedite the forwarding of this wheat to Turkey.