782.00/6–250
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Hare)
Subject: Meeting with Turkish Ambassador Participants: Mr. Feridun C. Erkin, Ambassador of Turkey Mr. R. A. Hare—NEA
I lunched with the Turkish Ambassador on Friday, June 2, and in the course of the conversation the Ambassador particularly mentioned the matter of a pact including Turkey. The Ambassador recalled that he had urged the Secretary to include this as an item on the agenda of the London meetings1 and that, at the Ambassador’s further suggestion, the Turkish Government had also approached the French and British Governments on this subject. He had noted that information emanating from London only included the statements of the Secretary and Mr. Bevin confirming previous policy with respect to Greece, Turkey and Iran,2 and he inquired whether this indicated that the [Page 1265] question of a pact had not been included in the London conversations.
I told the Ambassador that the London meetings had been called in order to discuss certain specific points on an agreed agenda, the principal item on which was to make the NATO a more practical working organization. The matters included on this agenda had been of such a nature that the representatives of the various governments had had to work day and night in order to cover them, with the result that it had not been possible to take advantage of the meetings to enlarge the area of discussion. As a consequence, occasion had not been afforded to discuss the matter of a pact including Turkey on a substantive basis, but, realizing the desirability of avoiding the creation of any impression that emphasis on NAT in these particular meetings constituted any diminution of interest in Greece, Turkey and Iran, specific statements regarding those countries had been made immediately following the conference by the Secretary and Mr. Bevin, and the Secretary had again referred to this matter in his address before the informal joint session of Congress on Wednesday, May 31.3 The Ambassador then asked if he could inquire who had raised this question in London. I replied that I did not feel that it would be proper for me to comment on this point. I said I wished again to emphasize, however, that significance should not be attached to the fact that it was not possible to take up this question at this particular time. To do so would create an impression which was totally unjustified by the facts.
The Ambassador then made a rather self-revealing observation to the effect that the idea of a pact including Turkey and the Western Powers had in fact been initially advocated by him personally while he was still in Ankara, and that he had been given a free hand to do what he could on the matter when he had been appointed Ambassador to Washington. Initially, he said, his Government had not been overly interested in the idea, but as time had gone on they had developed a very strong interest in it, and he had been under constant pressure to produce results. This had even reached the point where he had found himself in the position of explaining the American point-of-view in the face of a disposition on the part of his superiors to interpret the failure of the American Government to act as an unwillingness to give Turkey the support required. Now, said the Ambassador, he had been called home to report and was leaving on June 16. What could he say to his Government? He hoped that there might be something new and constructive which he could take back, and if so he would greatly appreciate having an interview with the Secretary before he left. [Page 1266] However, if the situation remained the same, there would be no necessity for his importuning the Secretary. I told the Ambassador that as far as I know there was no change in the facts governing our policy in this regard, but that I would get in touch with him in the event there were any further developments of which he should be apprised.
- For documentation on the meetings of the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, London, May 11–13, see vol. iii, pp. 828 ff. For documentation on the session of the North Atlantic Council, London, May 15–18, see ibid., pp. 1 ff.↩
- A statement by Secretary of State Dean G. Acheson issued on May 19 on his departure from London following the Foreign Ministers meetings read in part as follows: “I wish to reaffirm the deep interest of the United States Government in the security of Greece, Turkey, and Iran and our determination to continue our policy of supporting these and other countries which are striving through military and economic efforts to safeguard their independence and territorial integrity” (Department of State Bulletin, June 5, 1950, p. 883). Foreign Secretary Bevin on May 19 issued a similar statement on behalf of the British Government.↩
- Department of State Bulletin, June 12, 1950, p. 931.↩