811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/205: Telegram
The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 23—7:05 a.m.]
1338. Department’s 673, December 21, 1 p.m. Conditions given in topic number 3 of Turkish reply as reported in my 1240 (stated in my 1278, December 13 to have been amended as result of final discussions) represent formal reply of Turkish Government in writing. Paragraph 3 of my 1271 represents oral statements made to me by Foreign Minister.
[Page 785]Any difference Department may find between text of formal reply and statements made to me by Foreign Minister is readily explained by statement of British Chargé to Kelley that Numan had indicated “that there was a considerable difference between what Turkey could do in writing to meet British viewpoint and what she could do in practice” (see my 1215, November 28) and British Chargés statement to me that written reply “went as far to meet British desiderata as [the Turks could] be persuaded to put into writing” (see my 1200 [1280], December 13).