Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

782.5 MSP/5–2253

No. 477
The Embassy in Turkey to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs¹

secret

Aide-Mémoire

A discussion took place on May 18, 1953, between Ambassador William H. Draper, Jr.,² and other United States officials in Turkey, and the Turkish Foreign Minister and his colleagues, concerning Turkish military planning and force goals for 1953. Ambassador Draper pointed out that while SHAPE and CINCSOUTH naturally are concerned with what they consider necessary and desirable future military requirements, the realistic planning within Turkish capabilities, and within U.S. capabilities to provide equipment is, of course, carried on between the appropriate Turkish Government officials and JAMMAT. General Shepard, Chief, JAMMAT, and all of his staff are available for this purpose. Force planning naturally must take account of the personnel, training, equipment and financial capabilities of the Turkish Government, supplemented by the 145 million Turkish Lira to be made available in budgetary support by the U.S. Government in fiscal year 1953, together with whatever equipment the U.S. can furnish within the available appropriations through JAMMAT. The Turkish Minister of National Defense mentioned, in this connection, the intention of th Turkish Government to seek a supplemental defense appropriation of 81 million Turkish Lira for fiscal year 1953.

In connection with the decision of the Turkish Government concerning 1953 force goals included in the 1952 Annual Review completed at Paris last month, it was explained that the U.S. reservation as to the further study needed of the financial and equipment implications of the plan was made necessary since no decisions had been reached at that time by the U.S. authorities as to the size or composition of MDAP and other foreign assistance funds to be requested of the U.S. Congress. Ambassador Zorlu indicated his complete understanding of the reservation made at Paris.

Ambassador Draper pointed out that since that time the U.S. appropriation request for fiscal year 1954 for the Mutual Security Program had been forwarded by President Eisenhower to the Congress, which included an amount of $469 million for Title II (covering Turkey, Greece, Iran, the Arab States, etc.) as compared with an amount of $499 million actually appropriated last year for Title II. He had no information, however, as to the contemplated division of these funds among the Title II countries, it being quite possible that this would not be determined until the amount actually appropriated by the Congress is known. He also explained that, in accordance with the declining trend in U.S. foreign aid appropriations, the requested amounts for defense support involving budgetary assistance to the NATO countries had been substantially reduced from last year. As a consequence, the amount of this type of assistance likely to be available to Turkey for the coming year would necessarily be considerably lower than for the current year.

In discussing what had been referred to in recent discussions as “a pool of NATO equipment,” it was pointed out that the only equipment available to Turkey from outside sources was that programmed by the U.S. through JAMMAT. Ambassador Zorlu said that he realized there was no NATO pool of equipment but said that he understood there was a possibility of obtaining additional equipment which other countries were unable fully to utilize. No one on the U.S. side knew of any such equipment actually being available, nor had they any assurance that such equipment, if available, would not be charged against the appropriations for Turkey. However, it was agreed that General Shepard would advise the Minister of Defense if any such equipment could be obtained.

General Shepard stated that he would endeavor to obtain early delivery of certain training items from the 1954 appropriation as soon as possible after Congress had acted, as even a few of these items would be of great assistance in the early stages of specialized training. The current efforts of the Turkish Government to strengthen its present armed forces, particularly through increase in its officer and NCO complement and its training programs, was commended highly by the American side. It was assumed, however, that this effort would be related to the plans developed by the Turkish Government and JAMMAT.

May 19, 1953.

1. Drafted by Draper and McGhee, and delivered to Köprülü, May 19. Transmitted as enclosure 3 to despatch 763 from Ankara, May 22.
2. Draper, who was to retire from his position as U.S. Special Representative in Europe in June, visited Ankara, May 17–19, to pay farewell calls on various Turkish officials.