611.6731/128
The Ambassador in Turkey (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 21.]
Sir: With reference to my despatch No. 706 dated April 10, 1929, I have the honor to transmit herewith copy and translation of a note received from the Foreign Office26 naming the Turkish Delegation charged with the forthcoming commercial negotiations between Turkey and the foreign powers and requesting those powers to designate for their part the names of their own delegates and to proceed immediately to the negotiation of new commercial agreements in order that the commercial relations between Turkey and foreign nationals will not be impeded as a result of the application of new tariff measures.
So far as the United States is concerned it is understood between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and myself that we shall proceed to the negotiation of a brief and simple commercial convention, according mutual unconditional most favored nation treatment in customs matters, after his return from abroad about the middle of May. I presume that at that time it will be desirable for me to inform the Minister of my technical assistants who will negotiate with the Turkish Delegates the details and phraseology of the proposed convention. In case this should become necessary I recommend that the names of Mr. Julian E. Gillespie, Commercial Attaché, and Mr. Jefferson Patterson, Second Secretary of Embassy, representing the Embassy in Angora, be submitted to the Foreign Office together with my own name and I respectfully request the Department to telegraph directions on this point provided that the Department’s detailed instructions concerning the desired text of the proposed convention shall already have been forwarded to Constantinople prior to the receipt of this despatch.
In accordance with the three weeks’ sick leave granted me, I propose to leave for Vienna on April 29 and to return to my post between the fifteenth and twentieth of May, which will presumably be at about the same time as the return of Tevfik Rüştü Bey. If the Department so desires, the negotiations can probably commence at any time after that date. There appears to be no particular necessity for haste although it would be preferable to have them concluded, if possible, before the hot weather commences in Angora.
I have [etc.]
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