740.00116 European War 1939/1059: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:31 p.m.]
1448. The Foreign Office has replied to our note concerning asylum to war criminals. The text of the covering letter is as follows:
“The Minister for Foreign Affairs has had the honor to receive the communication under date of July 31st 1943 which the Ambassador of the United States of America was good enough to address to him for the purpose of bringing to his attention the text of the statement made on July 30, 1943 by the President of the United States of America concerning ‘asylum which might be accorded by the neutral countries to the Axis leaders or their creatures’.
Mr. Numan Menemencioglu thanks Mr. Steinhardt for having brought to his attention the point of view of the Government of the United States in the matter in question and hastens to send him herewith an announcement of the line of conduct which the Government of the Republic proposes to follow in such eventualities.”
The text of the statement enclosed with the Foreign Minister’s note is as follows:
“The Government of the Republic has always been careful to conform its attitude to the rules of international law for the triumph [of] which the United Nationals [Nations] have themselves many times declared that they were fighting.
It has decided not to depart from its line of conduct in the matter of possible refuge of Axis leaders.
The decision in this matter of the Turkish Government will thus be inspired, if and when the situation arises, by the principles which are recognized at the present time, or which by general consecration shall be at that time recognized, as rules of international laws.”