780.5/6–1554: Telegram
No. 214
The Ambassador in Turkey (Warren) to the
Department of State1
1334. Prime Minister asked me to meet him last night to discuss progress of events in this country since his return from US a week ago.2 There were present also Deputy Prime Minister Zorlu, the Foreign Minister and the acting Secretary General of the Foreign Office Dr. Birgi. Foreign affairs portion of discussions developed along following lines:
Conversations with Pakistanis. Prime Minister expressed pleasure with conversations he held with Prime Minister of Pakistan during his short visit to Turkey last week. He said there was a complete meeting of minds on objectives of Turkish-Pakistan agreement and tactics to be employed to press Iraqis and Iranians into the agreement. With respect to the Iraqis, Prime Minister of Pakistan agreed with him that course of Iraqi Government is ambiguous, uncertain and irresponsible. They say one thing to Americans, another thing to Pakistanis, a third to Turks and fourth to Arab League. They agreed that pressure must be applied to Iraq but they should await the formation of the new government of Iraq and then tell them in no uncertain terms that Iraq must fish or cut bait. It was agreed Turks would take initiative and Prime Minister has already seen Iraqi Ambassador on this matter.
With respect to implementation of Turkish-Pakistan agreement, the two Prime Ministers arranged for two study groups to be designated immediately and have exchanges of information and planning between the two general staffs. Menderes was very pleased [Page 514] about Mohammed Ali’s expressed willingness to make Pakistan military units available for an expeditionary force should events require more positive support of the Iraqis and Iranians after these two countries have joined the agreement and have expressed their willingness to have outside assistance in event of aggression.
Prime Minister explained to Pakistanis Turkey’s attitude toward Israel and the Arab League as well as Turkey’s relationship to Egypt. With respect to Israel the fact that Turkey is discouraging Israelis from joining pact should be considered as positive action by all of Arab states. At same time Turkey is not disposed to take any anti-Israel action. Pakistan Prime Minister said he understood Turkish position and is prepared to go along with it.
In case of Iran, Prime Ministers of Turkey and Pakistan agreed they should present a common front and encourage attitudes in Iran favorable to adherence to agreement. They should each give positive evidence of their interest and sympathy in solution of Iranian oil problem as a major economic necessity before Iranians would be in position to develop their armed forces. Pakistanis agreed to keep their mission in Iran currently informed. It was also agreed that Turkish Ambassador and his Pakistan colleague in Tehran should consult informally and continuously to give all possible support to Shah and Zahedi government. As proof of Turks desire to move promptly and affirmatively with Iranians, Foreign Minister and later Prime Minister have had conversations with Iranian Ambassador in Ankara.
Menderes believes visit of Pakistan Prime Minister has been most useful in bringing about a meeting of minds and a formulation of their plans both militarily and politically to present a common front in applying pressure to Iraq and Iran to join their agreement.
Iran: Prime Minister said a recent denunciation of the Saadabad pact by Secretary General of Iranian Foreign Office as being no longer effective provided a suitable occasion to initiate conversations with Iranian Ambassador. Turkish Foreign Minister called in Iranian Minister and Turkish Ambassador in Tehran also called on Foreign Minister. Turkish Prime Minister saw Iranian Ambassador in Ankara who stated that Secretary General of Iranian Foreign Office had acted without authority or knowledge of Iranian Government and that Saadabad pact is still in effect.3 Prime Minister then went on to express in name his government, his interest in Iran and his desire to be of all possible assistance in promoting [Page 515] well being of Iranian Government and people. He asked Ambassador to express to Shah and Prime Minister Zahedi this expression of the Turkish attitude and desire to be helpful. Iranian Ambassador said that his country’s greatest need at the moment was a solution of the oil problem in order to provide revenues for restoration of the economy and organization of the country’s defense.
He said Iran would be most appreciative if Turks could express both to British and Americans their interest in an early solution of the oil problem. Prime Minister then inquired if there were any specific suggestions Ambassador could make along these lines and if not could he ascertain from his government any specific aspects of oil problem still unsolved on which Turks could express interest either to US or Great Britain. Iranian Ambassador said his conversation with Prime Minister was too voluminous for cable but he would write to his Prime Minister by next courier and would not fail to keep Turks informed of progress of petroleum negotiations.
Prime Minister then informed Iranian Ambassador that during visit last week of Pakistan Prime Minister problem of Iran and its situation so exposed to the threats of aggression had engaged their common interest. They were both in agreement that they should seek every opportunity to follow and support Shah and Zahedi Government and to demonstrate to government and people and Iran their interest in their situation and their willingness to do everything possible to promote their well-being.
Prime Minister added that such relatively minor difficulties as border questions between Iran and Pakistan on one side and Iran and Turkey on other are in themselves insignificant and could well be solved informally and directly. Iranian Ambassador expressed his admiration and appreciation of the attitude of Turkish Government and will seek instructions directed towards a closer approachment between the two countries.
Iraq: Prime Minister has not yet asked Iraqi Ambassador to come to see him. However, Iraqi has sought him out to present one aspect of his country’s attitude towards Turk-Pakistan agreement and found occasion Turkish reception given by Turkish Government last Thursday to visiting Pakistan delegation to have a conversation. At that time he spoke of difficulties his country faces in terms of its relations with Arab League, its attitude towards Israel, and internal situation of the country which seems ill-conditioned to make a positive decision to identify Iraq with Turkey and Pakistan. Prime Minister replied that he is receiving constantly reports from his Embassy in Baghdad and that he will ask the Iraqi Ambassador to come and see him in next few days to discuss common danger faced by all countries in area and best measures to be taken to meet it. Although he had planned to see the Iraqi immediately [Page 516] after the elections on June 9, he now considers it desirable to postpone conversations with him until new government is seated. Then he intends to tell Iraqis that they face necessity of decision and that there is no longer a place for a negative attitude. Conversation with Iraqis closed last Thursday by Iraqi Ambassador saying they wished to regard Turks as their big brother. Prime Minister replied that his government has no desire to be big brother to anybody, that Turks are alert to dangers that face the whole world and particularly to threat of aggression facing the countries of this area. They feel Iraqi people must be alerted to facts of life and they hope that within the very early future Iraqis will identify themselves with Turks and Paks not as big and little brothers but as close and cooperative members of the new axis. He will be seeing Iraqi within the next two weeks.
Egypt: During his conversations with Pakistan Prime Minister, Menderes discussed position of Egypt and Egyptian attitude towards Pakistan and Turkey. He said Egyptians feel themselves challenged as leaders of Arab League and their attitude towards the Paks is almost as critical as it is towards Turks. Egyptian press has engaged in last few days in an attack on Prime Minister Menderes and in denouncing Turk-Pak agreement as an instrument calculated to destroy the Arab League. Since Egyptian press is now controlled and may be understood to reflect views of Egyptian Government, Prime Minister had Egyptian Chargé Affaires called to Foreign Office and told these attacks must cease. If they do not, Egyptian was warned that Turks will consider reprisal action and this would not be in the interest of maintaining good relations between the two countries that are so necessary in this area.
- Repeated to Karachi, Baghdad, Tehran, Jidda, Cairo, Damascus, Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Amman; transmitted in two sections.↩
- Documentation is scheduled for publication in volume VIII.↩
- For text of the Treaty of Nonaggression (Saadabad Pact), concluded between Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey, July 8, 1937, see League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. 190 (1938), p. 21.↩