Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V

782.5/12–1850

The Ambassador in Turkey (Wadsworth) to the Secretary of State

top secret

Ankara, December 18, 1950—5 p. m.

381. Re paragraph 3, Embtel 367, December 14.¹ Following résumé Greek-Turkish staff talks communicated to General Arnold by General Yamut, General Egeli and Admiral Ulusan²:

1. Purpose talks to discuss possibility establishing mutual military assistance pact, including assistance against attack Communist guerrillas.

2. “Probable enemy” defined as anyone attacking from Bulgaria.

3. Greeks would endeavor assist if Turkey attacked from east, but such help recognized as difficult to apply. Bulgarian attack not expected for 3 or 4 months. Felt that Russians must and eventually will try to reach Mediterranean. Greeks reluctant concentrate forces around Salonika for fear attack guerrillas in other parts Greece.

4. Mutual assistance pact believed by Greeks to be deterrent to aggression. Turks point out that no assistance can be rendered without consulting UN. Turkish general staff prepared continue talks later, but believe discussion should be moved to higher levels.³

5. General Yamut informed Greeks that if Bulgaria attacks Greece, Turks will mobilize at once.

6. Turks asked Greeks how they expected assist Turkey by attacking Bulgaria when Greeks unable control their own internal situation.

7. Conclusions reached:

(a) Any aggression directed against eastern Mediterranean from north and northeast will be fought on territories of both countries (conclusion reached jointly).

(b) Bulgarian attack must be part of greater attack, and sooner or later Russia will be party.

(c) Theatre of operations of both countries, cannot, as consequence, be of local importance. All countries concerned with defense eastern Mediterranean must consider this area of utmost importance, and must regard attack against Greece or Turkey as attack against themselves.

8. Summary Turkish position: Military pact as proposed in discussion not practicable, unless pact becomes part broader treaty embracing all countries concerned defense eastern Mediterranean.

9. Summary Greek position: Military pact between Greece and Turkey would provide military advantages but would be more important politically. Existence of pact would be deterrent to Bulgaria, and if it did not prevent attack would necessitate deployment lesser force against Greece.

Wadsworth

1. Ante, p. 1337.
2. Adm. Aziz Ulusan, Turkish Chief of Intelligence.
3. Maj. Gen. William H. Arnold, Chief, Joint Military Mission for Aid to Turkey, “inferred from Gen Yamut that so far as the Staffs were concerned, the conversations were finished” (despatch 331, December 18, from Ankara, 681.821/12–1850, not printed).