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  4. Document 1203

811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/625: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

Washington, June 24, 1943—11 a.m.

3853. USCCO 4028. Embassy’s 3595, May 25, 11 p.m., Embassy’s A–448, June 9th.32 Also Amembassy Ankara’s 1058, June 12 which is said to be identical in meaning with British Embassy Ankara’s telegram No. 1139, June 12, to Foreign Office.

Having considered Ambassador Steinhardt’s report of the joint views of the two Ambassadors regarding London’s views as outlined in your 3595, the Department and BEW have reached the following conclusions

1.
A balance of the weight of evidence supports continuing preclusive operations in Turkey including unauthorized purchases, pending the result of studies as suggested by the Ambassadors. Therefore it is our opinion that purchases, both authorized and unauthorized should continue.
2.
BEW is engaged in examining the effect which our preclusive operations have had and which continued operations may be expected to have on the war economy of the enemy as requested by the [Page 1137] Ambassadors. The results of these examinations will be communicated to Ankara and repeated to you.
We also await the study being made in Ankara of the effects of cessation of preclusive operations on the Turkish economy and anticipate that the Embassies will inform promptly both London and Washington of the results of these studies.
3.
It is suggested in view of the Ambassadors’ report, MEW may now be in a position to consider the proposals in Department’s No. 3411 of May 29 (USCCO 4020)33
4.
In the meantime, it is our understanding that we shall continue operations under the same arrangements as in the past and will share preemptive losses on all items in the existing joint program.

Hull
  1. Latter not printed.↩

  2. Not printed; in this telegram, dealing largely with operational questions, the Department had proposed the following list “… to express the relative strategical importance of each commodity” in the joint preemptive purchase program; and had asked for the opinion of the London Preemption Committee on the list:

    • “a) Copper, mohair, wool rags, skins, edible oils and nuts, wool, and valonia and valex.
    • “b) Silk and silk waste, cotton and cotton waste, rags and clippings, and antimony.
    • “c) Animal casings and hemp.
    • “d) Flax, gum tragacanth and traganthon, gallnuts, and asbestos.”

    In telegram No. 4123, July 7, the Department requested the Ambassador in the United Kingdom to expedite the reply of the London Committee. (811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/475, 625)

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