740.00112 European War 1939/10814: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:51 p.m.]
908. My 864, May 13. The Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs made to Hugessen proposals similar to those reported in my 856, May [Page 845] 12, and is pressing for an immediate reply in order that he may meet insistent German pressure with an agreement concluded by Turkey with her ally. The British Embassy in Washington has been instructed to show the Department telegrams Nos. 762, 763, and 765 from Hugessen to London. My British colleague and I urge very strongly that we receive if possible before Monday instructions along the line of those requested in Hugessen’s 765, paragraph No. 6. He is telegraphing London today to this effect. Hugessen and I feel strongly that we should take advantage immediately of the Turkish proposal with a view to concluding at once a concrete agreement which will furnish us with certain very definite advantages such as prohibition of all chrome exports to Germany and immediate reduction by 50% of exports of all other strategic materials to Axis Europe without our being obliged to undertake any specific obligations. It would greatly facilitate an early settlement of the matter if my British colleague and I were to be given immediate authority to conclude the best possible agreement with the Turks along the lines of Numan’s proposal.