767.68119/11–2646
The British Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Peterson) to the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union (Dekanozov)2
I have been instructed by my Government to inform the Soviet Government that the following are their views on the note dated September 24th from the Soviet Government to the Turkish Government on the subject of the Straits.
The Potsdam Agreement laid it down that as the next step this matter should be the subject of direct conversations between each of the three Governments and the Turkish Government. But it is the view of my Government that this “next step” has been completed by the exchange of views which have now taken place between these Governments. My Government therefore see no need for, or purpose in, continuing direct correspondence on the subject.
While my Government’s attitude towards proposals 4 and 5 of the Soviet note of August 8th2a remain as stated in the British note of August 21st, my Government remain ready to attend a conference of the four Powers (namely the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and all other signatories of the Montreux Convention, excepting Japan, to consider the revision of that Convention.