767.68119/8–1646
Memorandum by the Acting Secretary of State to President Truman
Following our meeting with you yesterday, we carried out your instructions to inform Secretary Byrnes of the recommendations which have been made to you and of the views which you expressed, stating that you would appreciate any comments he might have. We also submitted to the Secretary a proposed communication to the Turkish Government setting forth your views. As you will see from the attached telegram,62 the Secretary heartily concurs in your decision and has made some suggestions for incorporation in the communication to the Turkish Government in the general direction of strengthening it. He has also in another attached telegram63 sent us a copy of the British communication to Turkey.
If you approve of the attached communication to the Turkish Government we shall send it immediately.64 We propose, if you approve, to send a note to the Soviet Government acknowledging the copy of their note to the Turkish Government and expressing in somewhat different form the views of this Government in regard to their proposal. It seems advisable some time next week to make public our communication to the Soviet Government, or at least its substance. We do not propose to publish our note to Turkey.
Does this course meet with your approval?65