867.512/239: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 24—4:30 a.m.]
1103. My 708, April 14, 7 p.m.48 During the past few days the Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs49 has summoned to the Ministry the Chiefs of Mission or Counselors of most of diplomatic missions which have submitted protests to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs with regard to assessments under the capital levy tax against their nationals, with a view to handing them lists of revised taxes levied against their nationals. Prior to presenting the lists the Secretary General explained that the revised taxes represented the final decision of the Turkish authorities, that there could be no further discussion concerning the amount of the taxes, that the taxes must be paid within 15 days and that if they were not paid within this time the penal sanctions provided by the law would be applied to the individuals. The British Counsellor50 and the Swiss Minister51 refused to accept the lists of revised taxes. The German and Italian Ambassadors52 received the lists subject to the reservation, which they are confirming in writing, that they did not acquiesce in the procedure followed by the Turkish Government in the matter.
The British Counsellor declined to accept the list of revised taxes on British subjects upon being advised by the Secretary General that the list was being submitted to the British Embassy for its information and not for comment and that the individuals would have no right of appeal. The British Ambassador subsequently saw the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs with regard to the matter, but no agreement was reached as each side maintained its position. In the meantime London has approved the position taken by the British Embassy.
The Turkish authorities have not as yet approached me in respect to the two American citizens, concerning whose cases the Embassy has made representations.