711.672/131: Telegram
The High Commissioner at Constantinople (Bristol) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:33 p.m.]
189. I received a call yesterday from Adnan Bey, who told me that information had just come to him in a long telegram from Raouf Bey that difficulties have arisen in our negotiations at Lausanne. [Page 1119] Adnan said that the negotiations might have to be suspended and resumed later at Constantinople unless the treaty could be signed before August 2, as Ismet Pasha had received positive instructions to leave for Angora on that date. He said that the sincere hope of Raouf Bey is to bring about amicable relations between the two countries, and that the Turkish Government had looked upon the United States as an honest friend which expected no more than the European powers had received in the peace treaty, and out of good will would ask even less. He said, however, that the Turks had been somewhat disillusioned by the events at Lausanne, as it appeared that we were not satisfied with what the Allies had received. Adnan told me that he had been directed by Raouf Bey to discuss with me the attitude of the American delegation, and that he hoped their attitude might be modified if I would undertake to telegraph to Washington an explanation of the situation. In reply I told him that it must be obvious to him that I was unacquainted with the course of affairs at Lausanne, and that until I had made a leisurely examination of all aspects of the situation it would not be possible for me to express an opinion. But I said that it was my conviction that the American representatives at Lausanne were only seeking to conclude a treaty founded upon justice and right, and that I hoped he would accept these assurances from me. Adnan replied that while Turkey was perfectly willing to grant to the United States by treaty exactly what she had granted to the European powers, it would be quite out of the question for her to grant more. He read over to me at my request the portions of Raouf’s telegram which related to the points in dispute at Lausanne. These were about the same as the points mentioned in Mission’s 550 to the Department. I said to Adnan that these were not so much matters of principle as of detail, and could therefore be adjusted. But he replied at once that, on the contrary, they were matters of principle upon which Turkey could not yield, and that our attitude had very much surprised Raouf Bey. I said again that I had no doubt an adjustment was possible, but that obviously it would require more than a few days to arrange it, and I inquired whether, in case Ismet should return to Angora, some of the Turkish delegation could not remain at Lausanne to bring the negotiations to a conclusion. Adnan said it would be impossible to accept that arrangement, and that the negotiations could be resumed only at Constantinople if at all; a very unfavorable impression would be made at Angora, however, by a postponement of the negotiations. Thereupon I requested that he call to the attention of Raouf Bey the fact, of which he was doubtless already aware, that American sentiment had been hostile to Turkey, and that our [Page 1120] delegation at Lausanne was obliged to take the feeling of the country into consideration in framing a treaty to be submitted to the Government of the United States. I reminded him further that under the American constitution a treaty must receive the sanction of the Senate; and it would be very unfortunate if the treaty as negotiated at Lausanne should prove unacceptable to the Senate and so fail of ratification. In reply Adnan said that likewise the Turkish Government must approve the treaty, and he was convinced it would not approve a treaty which granted to the United States more than had been accorded to the Allies. I pointed out to him that to halt the negotiations now would only result in augmenting the hostile feeling in America, and that failure to conclude a treaty would postpone the restoration of normal relations between the two countries.