Office of the Historian

362. Memorandum From the Secretary’s Special Assistant for Intelligence (Cumming) to the Secretary of State1

Washington, August 7, 1957.

SUBJECT

  • Intelligence Note: Tactical Shifts in Turkish Foreign Policy

Although some officials of the Turkish Government have privately professed to see in recent Turkish-Soviet developments a softer policy on the part of Premier Menderes toward the Soviet Union, these developments appear to be superficial tactical shifts designed primarily to increase Turkey’s bargaining power with the United States. In addition, domestic political considerations, particularly the fact that the Menderes administration is faced with elections next March if not before, have probably influenced recent Turkish-Soviet relations. Short of endangering national security, Turkey will continue to follow tactics which might obtain from its allies a preferential treatment of its problems and requests.

However, it is significant that even Turkey, which is historically, ideologically, and pragmatically committed to a cold war against the USSR, is willing to take advantage of a relaxation in that conflict in order to increase its maneuverability in its relations with the United States.

Domestic political considerations are involved because the Menderes administration is committed to an ambitious economic development program. Turkey’s need of long-term loans or grants has forced it to broaden its commercial contacts because its previous defaults in payment of credit have limited the availability of foreign exchange. Economic necessity is thus forcing Turkey to accept almost any offer that will provide needed capital and equipment. When a Turkish aid request for a glass factory was turned down by the US, the quasi-governmental Turkish Is Bank turned to the USSR and in July 1957 received credits of about $10,000,000 for the establishment of two glass factories in Turkey with repayment to be made in goods.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 661.82/8–757. Secret. Drafted by Elaine D. Smith, Division of Research for Near East, South Asia, and Africa.↩