867.20/10–1047: Telegram
The Chargé in Turkey (Bursley) to the Secretary of State
780. When in compliance instructions re credit request (Deptel 574, October 81) I informed Foreign Minister this morning our position, he was obviously disappointed and said so. He inquired regarding significance our desire for information on two points while we were taking negative position on request. He stated that when present session GNA closed, which he hoped would be October 13, further proposals might be worked out. I emphasized the very heavy demands on us for European reconstruction.
Minister said that he had not meant that part of new credit, if granted, might be used for non-military purposes but that credit might permit economic development outlays from budget adding that this discrepancy is not “essential”. Whether or not I misunderstood, which I doubt, it seems to me to come to about same thing.
[Page 366]I am still unable understand Turks’ position this matter. They continue vague on military aspects and have failed to present facts to substantiate a good case if they have one.2
To Department as 780; to Florence for Ambassador Wilson.
- Not printed; but see footnote 2, p. 358.↩
- Telegram 793, October 15, 5 p. m., reported that on the morning of October 15, the Turkish Foreign Minister informed Charge Bursley that his country had been unable to reduce military budgets to reasonable proportions. He stated also that, shortly before or after the return of Ambassador Wilson, he would provide detailed information on the points the United States had raised to convince the Department that the Turkish requests had not been made without full consideration (867.20/10–1547). According to telegram 812, October 22, on the evening of October 21, the Prime Minister informed the Charge that the 1925 class would be released about November 20 and that the 1928 class would not be called up until about March (867.20/10–2247).↩