Office of the Historian

767.68119/924a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Turkey (MacMurray)

Washington, June 22, 1936—5 p.m.

30. After giving full consideration to the questions raised in your despatch No. 22 of April 23, the Navy Department reaffirms its view with respect to the desirability of a bilateral agreement between the United States and Turkey for the purpose of safeguarding American rights in the navigation of the Straits, as expressed in its letter of [Page 522] August 17, 1935, a copy of which was transmitted to the Embassy under cover of the Department’s mail instruction No. 219 of September 11, 1935.25

This Department and the Navy Department concur in your view regarding the inadvisability of American representation at the Montreux Conference. Accordingly you may in your discretion advise the Turkish authorities informally that this Government has no intention of sending an observer to the Conference but that it would appreciate being kept informed of the progress of negotiations.

Please continue to report fully.

Hull
  1. Foreign Relations, 1935, vol. i, p. 1040.↩