Office of the Historian

782.5/1–2754: Telegram

No. 183
The Ambassador in Turkey (Warren) to the Department of State1

top secret
Ankara, January 27, 1954—3 p.m.

770. Berlin for Secretary. Foreign Minister ill past few days. Birgi hopes review developments with him this afternoon or tomorrow morning to obtain approval various draft texts including agreement with Pakistan, Turk–Pakistani communiqué and Turk comments re proposed US statements welcoming communiqué and announcing decision extend military assistance Pakistan.

Birgi appreciated problem re press speculation (Department telegrams 812 and 818).2 He is seeing New York Times correspondent Hangen today and will tell him no agreement exists nor have there been negotiations with Pakistan thereon, although as Hangen aware Ghulam Mohammed discussed possibility Turk–Pakistani cooperation in broad terms when he was here (re Embassy telegram 766, January 27).3

Instructions to Turk Ambassador Pakistan with texts US–Turk exchange of notes and full background information being forwarded [Page 471] Karachi by our courier tomorrow.4 Summary instructions by cable. Following substance instructions:

1.
Agreement almost reached with US on tactics and timing. Turks awaiting US reply their memo January 23 [21].5 Meanwhile Ambassador to take no action pending further instructions.
2.
For reasons secrecy Ambassador to discuss only with Governor General and Prime Minister.
3.
British informed of developments in general by US and Turks. Instructions review Turk position on three negative points made by British here re India, Berlin Conference and participation Western powers in proposed agreement (Embassy telegram 759, January 25).6
4.

Turk Government has now similarly informed French Embassy (Embassy telegram 768, January 27).7

5.
In view press speculation Ambassador to limit any public statement to general observations re Turk–Pakistani friendship and co-operation avoiding reference any defense agreement or military planning. Instructed consult and coordinate with our Ambassador this regard.
6.
Draft of proposed agreement will be telegraphed in Turkish. To avoid errors in translation Ambassador instructed request English text from our Embassy (which will be transmitted soonest by us).

Warren
  1. Repeated to Karachi, London, Paris, and Berlin.↩
  2. Neither printed, but see Document 180.↩
  3. Not printed. It reported the Ankara representative of the New York Times had called to ask the Ambassador’s comment on a flash he had had from his Washington bureau, saying that Turkey and Pakistan would be signing a defense agreement immediately. (782.5/1–2754)↩
  4. Telegram 17 from Ankara to Karachi, repeated as 774 to the Department of State, Jan. 28, reported a courier from Istanbul was arriving the next day with top secret material from the Turkish Foreign Office for the Turkish Ambassador in Karachi, and asked the Embassy to arrange for its delivery. (782.5/1–2854)↩
  5. Not printed, but see footnote 3, Document 175.↩
  6. Document 177.↩

  7. Not printed. It advised the Department of State that in view of increasing press speculation and probable French concern about failure to advise them, the Turkish Foreign Office had given some general background information on the Turkish–Pakistan developments to an officer of the French Embassy. The Turkish Foreign Office explained that since it was a new Turkish–Pakistan initiative, unrelated to the Middle East Defense Organization, there was no Western participation in the proposed agreement. (782.5/1–2754)

    Telegram 2675 to Paris, repeated to Ankara, Karachi, and London, Jan. 28, advised the Embassies the French Embassy in Washington had been informed of the general line of U.S. thinking on Middle East defense matters, including the possibility of Turkish–Pakistan arrangements and U.S. assistance to Pakistan, and the hope of the U.S. Government for French support if Turkey should make a statement in the North Atlantic Council. (780.5/1–2854)

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