761.67/363: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt)
101. Your 194, March 22, 5 p.m. The Department approves of any proper efforts which you may be able to undertake to assist in the improvement of Soviet-Turkish relations upon the Soviet Ambassador’s indication of his desire for your assistance or advice. It leaves to your discretion the extent to which you may participate in this matter without going beyond what would be welcomed by both the Turkish and Soviet authorities.
It is difficult for us to make specific suggestions with regard to any remarks which you might make while discussing Turkish-Soviet relations with the Soviet Ambassador since the mutual distrust between Turkey and the Soviet Union is based largely on fundamental differences in world outlook on the part of the two regimes and on historic conflicts in interests which cannot be eliminated by gestures or discussion.
It is, nevertheless, believed that a display on the part of the Soviet Government of somewhat more confidence in Turkish diplomatic, consular, and military officials in the Soviet Union and the showing of some special attention and the extension of unusual courtesies to them would have a helpful effect.
It is understood that the Turks are not as much alarmed as they were formerly at reported Soviet separatist activities in Northern Iran.22 If however Soviet-Turkish relations are to be improved, the [Page 818] Soviet Government by act and deed should make special efforts fully to allay Turkish suspicions that the Soviet Union has any annexational aims with regard to Iran.
Turkish suspicions of Russian ambitions with regard to the Dardanelles are so deep that it will be extremely difficult to remove them. The Soviet officials might, however, find ways during conversations with Turkish officials to impress upon them privately, and to express willingness to make public declarations to the same effect if desired, that the Soviet Union desires no rights or privileges in the Dardanelles which have not already been accorded to it by treaty. It may be observed that the Straits Convention23 was negotiated to the satisfaction of the Turkish Government.
- For correspondence regarding Soviet activities in Northern Iran, see pp. 318 ff.↩
- Signed at Montreux, July 20, 1936, League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. clxxiii, p. 213. For correspondence, see Foreign Relations, 1936, vol. iii, pp. 503 ff.↩