767.68119/8–1746: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received August 17—11 a.m.]
4078. Secret for Ambassador Wilson67 from the Secretary: I think that the Turkish Government would have to express willingness to attend an international conference on the revision of the Montreux Convention. However, if, as indicated in your telegram 871 to Department,68 the Turkish Government stated in its acceptance that it could not consider any proposal which would liquidate an international treaty (point 4) which by its terms remains in effect for 10 years more and replace it by a new agreement excluding present signatories of existing treaty (with the exception of Japan), and if the Turkish Government also stated that it could not seriously consider point 5 on grounds that it is a direct threat to Turkish sovereignty and independence, the US Government would understand and sympathize since under similar circumstances we would take the same position. You are authorized to convey the foregoing to the Turkish Government.
Department please relay to Ankara as 23 from Paris.