381. Telegram From the Embassy in Turkey to the Department of State0
686. Paris pass USRO Thurston. Rome for Rood. Farewell call1 on General Gursel morning November 4 turned into very relaxed pleasant conversation in which Gursel tried to place before US Government his major domestic and international concerns. Foreign Minister Sarper only other person present. At outset Gursel said all appropriate things about my departure, wishing me happiness in retirement, et cetera, to which I was able to respond in proper fashion.
Gursel then launched into discussion of domestic scene stating that having staged revolution to achieve certain freedoms for Turkey CNU had found many internal problems and difficulties. He clearly implied that these were much greater than military leaders had imagined. He said CNU is doing everything it could to solve these problems and would continue to do what it could but meanwhile trusted that Turkey’s friends and allies fully understand nature of these problems and sincere efforts being made to solve them.
[Page 902]Turning to international front, Gursel said his biggest problem concerned his largest and toughest neighbor to North. Turkey was not under direct attack but was subject to constant Soviet pressure. This pressure no longer took form of threats but constituted insistent offers and urgings to accept assistance. This approach included Soviet effort to persuade Turkey to foresake NATO and join bloc not aligned against USSR. Soviets insisted Turkey would be safer on this course.
Gursel then noted that Turkey had been placed in unique position both through geography and will of God. To North and East it faced powerful, tough nation with Black Sea coast virtually direct frontier. To south Turkey faced in Nasser another strong, tough leader cast somewhat in image of Khrushchev. He said Turkey was doing what it could with its Arab neighbors so they would not succumb to blandishments of Nasser. Turkey had to recognize that this threat existed and endeavor to minimize it by improving relations with Arab states. In this way Arabs might be led away from Nasser.
Again he emphasized that Turkey needed comprehension of friends and allies with respect to position in which Turkey found itself. He said he constantly tried to study and act on these international problems while at same time attempting to solve various domestic problems which had arisen as result of their accession to power as revolutionary government. I thanked Gursel for his frankness in discussing these issues with me but added that his remarks were no surprise to American Embassy. I said I thought his domestic problems were greater than those of previous administration and that we were sympathetic in his endeavors to solve them. On international front I understood Turkey’s difficulties and could say in confidence that we had reported sympathetically almost precisely what he had outlined concerning Turkey’s international position.
I went on to say that I did not foresee that change in US administration which would take place as result of elections next week would lead to any great change in US foreign policy. I felt that we might find more dynamism and more acute consideration of problems under whichever administration came to power but I did not predict any deviation from major lines of Eisenhower foreign policy.
Gursel then asked me to convey personally his warm greetings to President Eisenhower and Secretary Herter which I said I would take pleasure in doing. In turn I wished him personal good fortune, good luck in what he was trying to do and success for Turkish people.