Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969–1972

201. Telegram 116137 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey¹ ²

Washington, June 28, 1971, 0114Z.

Ref:

• (A) Ankara 4439; (B) Ankara 4442

For Ambassador from Secretary

1. We are highly gratified that in difficult negotiations of recent weeks you have been able to bring Turks to verge of historic step of renouncing further cultivation of opium poppy. In order to ensure that our offers of assistance clear and that both sides in agreement on details of situation, we are setting forth in following paragraphs terms agreed to as understood in Washington.

2. GOT decree will confirm Fall 1971 planting in only four provinces. GOT will introduce program of voluntary abstention from planting in Fall 1971 and in Spring 1972 with advance payments to individual farmer at rate of 110 per cent of legal proceeds from crop now under harvest.

3. GOT decree will include fact that no planting to be permitted in Fall 1972. In order to make prohibition permanent, GOT undertakes to obtain legislation banning further opium poppy cultivation.

4. In order to prevent foreign exchange loss to GOT and to help GOT to prevent loss of income for opium poppy farmers during transition years to new crops or to other means of earning livelihood, as well as to assist GOT to fund advance payments to induce voluntary abstention from planting in Fall 1971, USG will provide up to $10-$15 million in grants to GOT over four-year period. This period would coincide with USG Fiscal Years 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975. (FYI-This reaches outside year of three to four-year time span Prime Minister said it might take for farmers’ income from new sources to balance that from old-para 4, ref (A). END FYI.) 1971 crop now under harvest to serve as base for calculation volume of crop and price for advance and compensatory payments in any given year.

5. USG will provide grants of $10 million in FY 1972 and $10 million in FY 1973 to be utilized to assist GOT effort to redirect economic life in affected areas away from dependence on opium poppy cultivation.

6. USG will encourage World Bank, other multilateral organizations, and private foundations to assist in GOT agrarian reform measures.

7. USG will, as part of AID assistance program, send agricultural experts to Turkey to advise on development of agrarian reform program within which withdrawal from opium poppy cultivation would be subsumed.

8. Following issuance of GOT decree and statement by Prime Minister, President will make public statement along lines suggested by Prime Minister. Text of such statement, based on ref (B), will be dispatched by septel for your comment.

9. Because of its importance to the potential immediate disruption of supplies opium to international traffickers, it imperative that Erim Government understands fully need for active support program of voluntary withdrawal from cultivation. USG would be prepared to consider additional grant funds in FY 1975 equal to total advance payments made to farmers between June 30 and September 1, 1971 for voluntary program, if ERIM Government institutes a program that results in withdrawing from cultivation at least 35 percent of area which otherwise would be planted in the Fall of 1971 and the Spring of 1972. If voluntary program does not result in withdrawal from cultivation of 35 percent of area which otherwise would have been planted, then additional US funds will not be made available in FY 1975 and total US grant for advance and compensatory purposes will remain up to $10-$15 million through FY 1975.

10. Foregoing conditional on effective GOT performance to control and collect 1972 harvest and to prevent illegal cultivation.

Rogers

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Immediate, Exdis. Drafted by Pugh; cleared by Davies, Sisco, Connally, and Saunders; cleared in draft with Williams and in substance with Ingersoll and Wellman; and approved by Rogers.
2. The Department laid out the exact terms of Ambassador Handley’s agreement with the Turkish Government over opium control in order to avoid any potential misunderstanding.