767.68119/10–1945
Memorandum by the Secretary of State to President Truman
You will recall that at Potsdam we agreed to discuss with Turkey the question of a revision of the Montreux Convention. On September 3, 1945, I sent you a draft of a note that we might send to the Turkish Government in this connection.66
The problem of the Straits was not on the agenda of the London Conference. The agreement at Potsdam provided that the revision of the Montreux Convention should be the subject of direct conversations of each of the Three Governments with the Turkish Government.
Following my return67 I have gone over our draft again and have made some minor changes, principally in the provision regarding the right of non-Black Sea warships to enter the Black Sea in time of peace.
There is attached a proposed telegram to our Embassy at Ankara68 containing a note to be communicated to the Turkish Government. If you concur,69 we will have this note transmitted immediately.
While I share your view that probably more drastic attention will be necessary in the revision of the Montreux Convention to arrest Russian pressure in this area, I am inclined to doubt the wisdom of putting forth anew your suggestion regarding internationalization until the Russians have shown their hand.
[Page 1256]If, however, you wish to go further at this time we could add to the principles suggested for the revision of the Montreux Convention the following:
“In the event of interference from any source with the rights of passage guaranteed by the revised Convention, the states parties thereto, including the United States, agree to consult and take collective action within the framework of the United Nations Organization to ensure the enjoyment of such rights.”70
But if you wish to go this far, it probably would be wise to consult with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate before making our suggestion. Mr. Dulles, when I spoke to him on the way to London, was somewhat wary about our undertaking a guarantee of passage in waters so far distant from our shores.
- The attachment to the memorandum of September 3 was the paper entitled “Proposals of the United States for Changes in the Montreux Convention of 1936”, ante, p. 1243. No draft telegram was sent to the President at that time. The Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Henderson) in a memorandum of September 14 to Under Secretary of State Acheson summarized the status of the matter: “An American proposal for the revision of the Montreux Convention has been prepared and is now waiting for the President’s approval.” (111.75/9–1445)↩
- Mr. Byrnes returned to Washington on October 4. On the 4th Mr. Henderson wrote in a memorandum to Mr. Acheson in regard to matters for discussion with the Secretary: “We have yet to learn from the White House whether the President approves the Department’s proposals for revision of the Montreux Convention. Our draft proposals … cannot be found in the White House and we are now sending over a copy.” (890.00/10–445)↩
- This proposed telegram submitted to President Truman was identical with telegram 1049, October 30, 3 p.m., to Ankara, post, p. 1265, except for the change made in the third principle in the fifth paragraph. This wording replaced that used in the draft proposed telegram which had read: “(3) save for an agreed limited tonnage in time of peace, the Straits to be closed to the warships of non-Black Sea powers at all times, except with the specific consent of the Black Sea powers or except when acting under the authority of the United Nations.”↩
- In a memorandum of October 20 to the Secretary of State, the President wrote: “I am returning the suggested communication to the Turkish Government approved.” (767.68119/10–2045)↩
- In his memorandum of October 20 to the Secretary of State, President Truman declared: “I believe we had better leave the suggested paragraph out for the time being, although I think we ought to keep pushing the program so as to prevent Russia from taking the Straits over.” (767.68119/10–2045)↩