867.24/360: Telegram

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

362. Your 789 of July 23, 6 p.m. and the Department’s 354 of July 22, 6 p.m.

[Page 732]
1.
British Supply Council in Washington informed the Department today that they had received a reply to their query resulting from the Department’s discussion with them last week. (See Department’s 347 of July 18). Reply states that MESC is giving active consideration to immediate shipment to Turkey of 5,000 tons of wheat from available stocks and to the later dispatch of 10,000 additional tons of wheat when available. MESC is also considering purchase of barley in Iraq for shipment to Turkey. Department will continue close collaboration in Washington with British Supply Council in the matter and suggests that with support of your British colleague you also press directly MESC who are in best position to deal with problem.
2.
War Shipping administration will exert best efforts to make available maximum cargo space for wheat shipments for Turks. As you are aware, exigencies of war make precise commitments of tonnage for further shipments impossible. Furthermore, system does not allocate any fixed future cargo space for specific countries in Middle East area. Instructions are now outstanding that wheat will be loaded to exclusion of all supplies to Turkey other than munitions of a character suitable for emergency diversion to United Nations armed forces in Middle East. Fill-in cargo space totalling 15,000 tons during next 45 to 60 days represents realizable estimate, but safest to regard it as maximum and subject to understandable reservations.
3.
For wheat movement of magnitude of 100,000 tons or more as indicated in your 769 of July 20,61 Turkish-owned or chartered vessels would appear to represent the only transport. The Department confirms that if Turks provide bottoms to lift, wheat would be available in this country. It should be noted however, that (a) Board of Economic Warfare reserves right to judge reasonableness of large amounts on grounds of possible danger of excessive stocks, and (b) Turkish arrangements for purchase, delivery to seaboard, bagging, if necessary, etc. would have to be made in ample time.
Hull
  1. Not printed.