780.5/9–2951: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Wadsworth) to the Department of State
niact
310. Supplementing para 4 mytel 305 Sept 281 (rptd Paris 8, London 5, Cairo 11):
(1) FonMin again phoned this morning to say PriMin with himself attending would receive me at noon. They had carefully studied my memo of Sept 27 (a close paraphrase of Deptel 247 Sept 26) and had had second meeting with Brit Amb Sept 28.
(2) Brit Emb had already told us of that mtg. Its details were reported to London by tel dated Sept 28 rptd to Brit Emb Wash. In brief, Turk PriMin agreed to instruct Turk Amb Cairo to support current Brit and US démarches designed to deter Egypt Govt from denouncing 1939 treaty.2
(3) PriMin opened our meeting by saying in substance: “I appreciate very particularly your Depts prompt and detailed reply to my request for its views as given us in your memo. I have read it most carefully myself. It is clear and to the point. The FonMin and I will submit it to Turk Cabinet today for formal action; but as of now I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty that we accept all its proposals.”
(4) In ensuing conversation both Mins spoke fully by way of elaboration this assurance. On question of Turk démarche to Egypt, highlights of their remarks were: (a) As they had yesterday assured Brit Amb, they were prepared immediately to support UK and US representations to King Farouk and to Egypt Govt. This they could do as of now on grounds of vital common interest in defense of ME. Their démarche would be wholly friendly, but at same time firm and wld indicate Turk solidarity with three great powers (assuming France too made similar démarche).
(b) Turk view was that such démarches shld “help elucidate Egypt’s own difficulties while insisting always on nefast [?] results of treaty denunciation” and shld “not avoid any character of exercising pressure on Egypt independence, but positively expressed particular interest in strengthening Egypt as a collaborator of great powers.”
(c) Turk recommendations to Egypt can however be much more effective if Turk Govt knows what Brit and US Ambs have already [Page 200] said to King and Nahas and what UK and US Govts propose to instruct them to say in elaboration thereof. In short Turk Govt too is most keenly interested to know, at earliest date agreeable to US and UK, at least basic premises and general outline of specific proposals to be made to Egypt.
(5) I replied that two most important major premises appeared to be, first, that Anglo-Egyptian differences could best be settled if taken above plane of bilateral negotiations and put within framework of multilateral agreement for defense of ME and, second, that, viewing matter realistically, this could best be done by org of MEC in which Egypt and Turkey, together with three Brit Dominions, could participate on equal footing as founding members together with the three principal NATO powers—in short establishment of an Allied command for ME defense supplementing and not, as some Turk opinion feared, independent of, NATO.
(6) PriMin commented that that much he had understood and had already represented to his own cabinet. On that premise, he was prepared to proceed. He hoped, however, to learn more. What, for instance, was to be relationship between MEC and commands already established for defense of NA community, and what were our ideas as to position and role of Turkey in such commands and relationship?
(7) I was able finesse this question by saying that it was exactly for purpose of preliminary discussion and frank exchange of views on such highly important matters that we had proposed early visit of mil mission made up of highest NATO mil reps, including Gens Bradley and Slim.
(8) Except for incidental comment touching chiefly on emotional susceptibilities of other Arab Govts and peoples any need for careful dipl and psychological preparation before approaching them in matter of MEC, our conversation ended on this note, with PriMin assuring me early visit of NATO mil mission would be most welcome.
(9) I shld much appreciate early insts, as detailed as presently possible, in re PriMins comment and query in para 4 (c) above.
Sent Dept 310, rptd info Cairo 12, London 6, Paris 9 (for MacArthur).
- Not printed; it reported on a conversation with the British Ambassador as to the views outlined to him the previous day by the Turkish Foreign Minister Köprülü regarding an early approach to Egypt. Paragraph 4 of this telegram informed the Department that the Embassy had prepared and submitted to the Turkish Government a “closely reasoned” memorandum setting forth the arguments for the early establishment of a Middle East Command along lines suggested in telegram 247 to Ankara of September 26. (780.5/9–2851)↩
- Mistaken reference to the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936.↩