Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1

740.5/10–551: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Turkey ¹

secret

Washington, October 5, 1951—7:49 p. m.

288. Amb Erkin will call on Pres Truman Oct 9 at 12:15 to present Pres Bayar’s replies to Pres Truman’s two notes re decision NAC at Ottawa.² Text unclassified note will be released 12:30 Washington time that day³ and Wireless Bulletin will carry. Text of secret msg which will not be released quoted below FYI:

“I fully concur with your view to hold conversations, of a preliminary nature, with respect to many practical problems which will arise with Turkey’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Org.

As you point out, these conversations will acquire an official character and will pave the way to final decisions only after Turkey’s formal accession to the said Org.

Since we have heretofore entertained the view that the defense of the Middle East from strategic as well as economic standpoints is of prime necessity for the preservation of the security of the free world, I, too, believe that it wld be equally beneficial to take up as a topic of conversation of the same nature the question of organizing the Mil defense of that area. In fact, the effective solution of this problem which presents multiple mil and polit aspects, can only be achieved through Turkey’s active participation in the negots in this respect.

The fact that Gen Omar Bradley, Chair of The Joint Chiefs of Staff whom you contemplate to assign as United States representative to study all these matters with us and with the Brit and Fr reps, holds various high responsibilities, makes me feel confident that the projected conversations will be carried out with full auth and in an atmosphere of most cordial understanding.”⁴

Webb

1. Drafted by Snyder of GTI, cleared by NEA, and approved for transmission by Dorsz.
2. The reference here is to President Truman’s messages of September 20 to President Bayar; see telegrams 213 and 214, to Ankara, September 20, pp. 575, 576.
3. See footnote 1, p. 575.
4. For documentation on the visit of Generals Bradley, Slim, and Lécheres to Greece and Turkey in mid-October to discuss possible establishment of a Middle East Command, see volume v .