664.6731/45: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:51 p.m.]
937. Department’s 454, May 20, and my 936, May 23. I called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning and left with him a written protest relative to the Hungarian-Turk commercial agreement and an aide-mémoire the text of which appears in my 936, May 23, containing our counter proposals to Numan’s proposals as reported in my 856, May 12 and as reported by Hugessen in British Embassy, Ankara, telegram to London No. 763. The protest and aide-mémoire are identic with those submitted by Hugessen today.
After reading the aide-mémoire Numan remarked that while it contained certain provisions that would have to be the subject of further discussion particularly the phrase in paragraph (c) that the essentiality of commodities to Turk economy would have to be mutually agreed upon with the American and British Governments, the terms of the aide-mémoire constituted the basis for an agreement. He said he was as anxious as we were to conclude an agreement speedily because of the pressure to which he was being subjected by von Papen, who he had avoided seeing during the past 2 days in the hope of being able to reach an agreement with the British and ourselves. He said it was essential for him in dealing with the Turk Parliament not to permit anything to creep into the agreement which affected Turk sovereignty and that if we did not create too many difficulties for him in respect of some minor changes that he might find essential, he hoped the agreement could be concluded before the end of the week.
In this connection in drafting the counter proposal Hugessen and I inserted certain clauses such as the one to which Numan has already taken exception fully conscious of the fact that it might be necessary to modify one or more of them in order to obtain a speedy agreement.
For reasons which the Department will appreciate Numan, Hugessen and I have agreed that every effort will be made by all of us to avoid any “leaks” concerning the proposal under consideration or our discussions. Numan pointed out that premature publicity might cause the Germans to take action which could upset the negotiations.