740.0011 European War 1939/25112: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Henderson ) to the Secretary of State

947. Department’s 537, October 24, 8 p.m. and my 933, October 26, 3 p.m. Lozovski handed me an aide-mémoire this evening which states in substance that:

(1)
The Soviet Government agrees with the American and British Governments that the French tonnage will be used as auxiliary ships in the Black Sea and that the passage of these ships through the Straits would be a clear violation of the Montreux Convention.
(2)
The Soviet Government considers that it would be fully expedient for the Government of the United States to make the planned representations to the Turkish Government with regard to this matter and proposes on its part that the American, British, and Soviet [Page 808] Governments make joint representations to the Turkish Government regarding the necessity of refusing to permit the ships in question to pass through the Straits and thus of not allowing the use of these ships for military purposes.

Repeated to Ankara.

Henderson