761.67/1–1546: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey ( Wilson ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:11 p.m.]
73. Erkin tells me that on January 12 Soviet Ambassador25 sent brusquely worded note protesting against recent Turk press articles [Page 809] critical of USSR, particularly headlines on one article reading “Machiavelism now Molotovism” and another “Stalin is doing what Hitler did” (text following latter headline reproduced recent London Daily (?) article).
Erkin said fortunately 2 or 3 days before Soviet note was received, Prime Minister had sent word to Turk press requesting them be careful to avoid giving offense to Soviet Union. He said that Turk reply to Soviet note had mentioned this initiative and that it had been taken prior to receipt of Soviet protest; that Turk Govt regretted statements in Turk press which might seem personally offensive to Soviet leaders; that recent articles critical of USSR should be viewed in light of feeling created in Turkey by prominence given by Soviet press and radio to article by Georgian professors claiming large part of Turk territory; and that Turk Govt hoped that Turk initiative in seeking to eliminate articles objectionable to USSR would find its counterpart in action by Soviet Govt to eliminate from Govt press and radio articles and comments injurious to Turkey.
I have confirmed from other sources that Prime Minister took initiative with Turk journalists early last week. It is moreover a fact that since then one [tone?] of articles in Turk press regarding Russia has changed markedly and there has been little if anything which could be regarded as strongly critical.
Sent Dept 73; repeated Moscow 9; London 20.
- Sergey Alexandrovich Vinogradov.↩