767.68119/8–2045: Telegram

The Chargé in Turkey (Packer) to the Secretary of State

1140. Important note and accompanying memorandum regarding recent Russian demands on Turkey and question of Straits in which reference is made to decisions taken at Potsdam and to “the proposal of President Truman in accordance with which the United States would associate itself to guarantee the freedom of the Straits” have just been handed me by Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Am telegraphing separately the texts in translation of note and memorandum.42

Saka informed me that similar communication had been handed to British Ambassador. This is confirmed by Counselor of British Embassy.43

The Minister stated that he would await with interest Washington’s response to what he termed “the Turkish initiative” which he said had been decided upon with a view to ascertaining as soon as possible the British and American points of view in this important matter.

He said that he had decided to transmit this communication through American Embassy in Ankara rather than Turkish Embassy in Washington in order to facilitate its receipt by “the American Foreign Office”.

Packer
  1. The texts of the Turkish note and memorandum are not printed. The nature of the demands proposed to Turkey are, however, already described in considerable detail in the memorandum of conversation of June 18 by the Acting Secretary of State ( Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), vol. I, pp. 10171020), and in telegrams 817 of June 18, 822 of June 20, and 844 of June 22, from Ankara ( ibid., pp. 1020, 1022, and 1024, respectively). For expressions of the American reaction see telegram 649 of June 23, to Ankara, telegrams 858 of June 26, and 898 of July 3, from Ankara, and the memorandum of conversation of July 7 by the Acting Secretary of State ( ibid., pp. 1028, 1030, 1034, and 1044, respectively).
  2. Indications of the views of the British Government in regard to the demands by the Soviet Union and the situation created by them are printed, ibid., pp. 10171054, passim.