811.20 Defense(M)Turkey/990: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 19—3:40 p.m.]
705. Supplementing Turk reply to our note on commercial relations between Turkey and the Axis, Foreign Minister states it is his intention to create a bureau in the Ministry which will examine all future commercial transactions between Turkey and Axis and will have final decision in approving or disapproving all such transactions. He desires appointment of representatives from British and the United States Embassies who will confer regularly with this bureau with object of ascertaining in each instance whether the United States and Britain are prepared to guarantee to furnish Turkey commodities which Turks would fail to receive by refusing to approve a transaction with an Axis country involving shipment of Turkish commodities in exchange therefor. Numan indicated commodities which he would request of the British and ourselves with a view to stopping export of strategic materials to Axis would be only those vital to Turk economy. In short he expressed a desire to cooperate in limiting Turkish exports of strategic materials to Axis within the limits of the survival of Turk economy which he said would depend more on willingness than on undoubted ability of the United States and Britain to furnish Turkey with commodities vital to its economy.