840.20/12–2348
The Ambassador in Turkey (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State
483. Sir: I have the honor to enclose, as a matter of record, the text of an aide-mémoire1 I handed Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs Sadak on December 18 in compliance with the Department’s telegram no. 5882 of December 15 (6 p. m.) 1948 replying to the Turkish Government’s request3 that it be invited to participate in such mutual defense undertakings against Soviet aggression as may be concluded in current negotiations for an “Atlantic Pact.”
Mr. Sadak read my aide-mémoire carefully and with keen interest. His comment on the passage expressing doubt that “Turkey, which is neither in Western Europe nor on the Atlantic, could be considered to form geographically a part of this regional group” was non-committal, but I sensed he was neither surprised nor taken aback. He asked if my [Page 333] instructions had mentioned whether any other countries, such as Ireland or Portugal, were to be invited to participate; and again I sensed that he was confirmed in his own views when I answered in the negative.
He then commented that he understood the delicacy of our position “with its traditional policy of ‘no entangling alliances’”; and, reading again the passage indicating that the current discussions might be expected to touch on relations with other countries, he said he would bring my answer to the immediate attention of his Government and of the President and would inform me of any further suite [sic] they might decide should be given the matter at this time. His eyes dropped down the page; he added: “Your Government ‘would prefer that Turkey not press at this time’”. I concluded the passage: Not “for inclusion in the North Atlantic group.”
In ending the conversation Mr. Sadak referred with satisfaction to the passage “American interest in North Atlantic security in no way implies a lessening of American interest in Turkish security”; and he made the point—later made the same afternoon by President Inonu to Secretary Royall (see my immediately following despatch4)—that Turkey needs moral as well as material help, that thus will it feel itself doubly strong and, if such help be made known to all, thus, too, would Russia be doubly hesitant to attack.
I should add that, prior to presenting my aide-mémoire, I ascertained from my British colleague that he had received substantially similar instructions and would communicate their substance to Mr. Sadak the following day.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩
- Vol. iv, p. 213.↩
- See telegram 839, November 26, 1948, from Ankara, p. 294.↩
- Despatch 484, December 23, not printed, transmitted a memorandum of conversation between President Inonu and Secretary Royall and Vice Adm. Arthur W. Radford, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air and Commander, Second Task Fleet (840.20/12–2348).↩