740.00112 European War 1939/10814: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt)
454. British Embassy here has made available to Department British Ambassador’s telegrams to Foreign Office numbered 762, 763 and 765 from Ankara and Embassy’s 908, May 19, 4 p.m. has been received.
Department and FEA approve approach to Turks along lines suggested by you and your British colleague. However, for your joint consideration an amendment is suggested in the form of a caveat to be inserted at opening of proposed oral statement. The suggested insertion has been agreed by British Embassy here and on basis of [Page 846] earlier telegram from Foreign Office is presumed entirely acceptable to London.
Accordingly you are authorized, upon receipt of parallel instructions by your British colleague, to concert your actions with him as follows:
- 1.
- Present to the Turkish Government a written protest which in substance would refer to Turkish decision on chrome and reiterate our desire to secure a complete cessation of the export of Turkish strategic commodities to the Axis.
- 2.
- Supplement delivery of note by oral statement which in so
far as possible should be along following lines:
“While we must reserve all rights to approach the Turkish Government in the future when our vital interests so dictate for the purpose of obtaining further reductions in the export of Turkish strategic materials to the Axis, it is recognized that certain difficulties exist. If the Turks are willing to reduce all future obligations of a contractual nature to Germany and her satellites (and in the case of Hungary to reduce deliveries in practice) with respect to the commodities listed in our note of April 14 to 50 percent of Turkish exports in 1943 on a monthly basis and in practice only to export commodities within the foregoing limit to the extent to which they are compensated for directly by imports which we cannot furnish and which are agreed to constitute essential Turkish requirements, then we are prepared on this basis to enter discussions with the Turks. The field to be covered by such discussions could include the possibility of meeting from Allied sources Turkey’s essential requirements, the removal of certain export embargoes now in force and the question of future purchases of Turkish products.”
Sent to Ankara repeated to London.36
- As telegram No. 4023.↩