867.602/103: Telegram
The Special Mission at Lausanne to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:07 a.m.]
525. Your 232, July 10, 8 p.m. In a conference tonight with Rumbold I strongly presented the objections which the Department has indicated to the proposed provision concerning the alleged rights of the Turkish Petroleum Company. Rumbold told me that his instructions were definite and that he could not depart from them. [Page 1035] He said that of course he would report to his Government the representations which I made. He expressed some surprise on learning that arbitration of the issue had ever been suggested by us. The Department may desire to emphasize this point in further representations at London.
After my conference with Rumbold I saw Ismet. He again told me that owing to its phraseology he and his experts considered the above provision harmless, but that he had requested his Government to send him instructions and that when they were received he would be guided by them.
Referring to the line from Samsun to Sivas, Ismet said that the impairment of any vested American rights now or in the future would be prevented by Turkish law. He contended that it would therefore not be appropriate to have this specified in the treaty. He stated that he had been given definite instructions to refuse any provisions in the protocol giving preference to the Régie Générale and Vickers-Armstrong Company in case of future concessions and that they would insist upon the withdrawal of such provisions.
The Allies abandoned their original vague and dangerous provision regarding the confirmation of claims only after we had made repeated representations along the lines which the Department indicated. I shall continue to make every possible effort to secure the withdrawal of the present objectionable clause and I shall not fail in case of necessity to make a full statement in committee.