767.68119/8–2745
The British Embassy to the Department of State 54
Aide-Mémoire
Re: 2581/–/45
On August 21st a member of the staff of His Majesty’s Embassy discussed with the State Department the question of the Straits. He recalled that it was agreed at Potsdam that the United States Government should try to persuade the Turkish Government of the advantages of international control of the Straits and stated that His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom would support their representations. He said that in the course of conversation with His Majesty’s Ambassador at Ankara on August 11th the Turkish Prime Minister had stated that the Turkish Government were not disinclined in principle to accept internationalization of the Straits provided (a) [Page 1242] that Turkish Sovereignty was unimpaired and (b) that there would be a change in the Russian attitude towards Turkey as a result.
The member of the staff of His Majesty’s Embassy went on to express the wish of His Majesty’s Government to know exactly what the United States Government had in mind as regards the Straits. It seemed to them that internationalization might mean one of three things:
- (a)
- Modification of the Montreux convention so that while Turkey would remain responsible for the defence of the Straits, Russia would be allowed to move ships of war through the Straits in war as well as in peace. This might be guaranteed by an international commission at Istanbul or merely by an agreement without such a commission.
- (b)
- Complete demilitarisation of the Straits under the guarantee of the Great Powers.
- (c)
- International control of the Straits by the establisnment of bases by some or all of the Great Powers in that area.
The State Department were also asked whether they intended to approach the Turkish Government on this question in the near future or to leave it for discussion as part of the International Waterways55 scheme at the Council of Foreign Ministers.
The State Department replied that this question would be examined in the light of a memorandum from the Turkish Government on this subject communicated to His Majesty’s Embassy at Ankara on August 19th and to the United States Embassy at Ankara on August 20th.
His Majesty’s Chargé d’Affaires is instructed to inquire whether the State Department is now in a position to express its views on the points mentioned above.
- Handed on August 28 to the Assistant Secretary of State (Dunn) by the British Chargé (Balfour).↩
- In his conversation with Mr. Balfour on August 28, at the time the Department received this aide-mémoire, Mr. Dunn informed the British Chargé “that the President had always included mention of the Black Sea straits in his discussion at Potsdam of the unrestricted use of inland waterways, but my own personal opinion was that the United States should be prepared to have discussion of the Dardanelles separated from the other waterways if there seemed to be general disposition to do so.” (840.811/8–2845) For documentation regarding the subject of international inland waterways, see vol. ii, pp. 1364 ff.↩