711 672/8: Telegram
The Special Mission at Lausanne to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:15 p.m.]
195. Referring to 83 of January 13 from the Department. During a conversation on general topics with Ismet yesterday we mentioned [Page 1045] to him indirectly and cautiously the question of initiating discussions looking toward a Turkish-American treaty of amity and commerce. Ismet said positively that he was ready to begin the discussions at any time, preferably at once. To which we replied that we should keep the matter in mind, but that we would not consider it desirable to begin the negotiations until there is a definite prospect that a treaty of peace will be signed between Turkey and the Allies. It is probable that the situation will be clarified by the events of the next few days and we shall report our views promptly to the Department.
In the course of Ismet’s general observations on the situation at Lausanne, he enumerated the various points upon which he had not yet agreed with the Allied Powers. These included especially the financial clauses, the juridical capitulations and Mosul. We were given to understand unequivocally that on these points the Turks had no intention of yielding.