882.25/12–1950: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Turkey
318. Ur 326 Dec 2[1].1 Dept surmises Turks, particularly Turk FonOff, concerned with implications of carrying out mining project and have seized upon implied reservations Brit Aide-Mémoire2 to defer implementation.
Dept wld welcome Emb opinion as to prob Turk estimate Sov reaction if project implemented and whether likelihood Turks wld, particularly if project pushed by US, seek US security commitment as prerequisite.
Dept now reviewing its position on project. Has requested Emb Moscow views re prob Sov reaction3 and has had helpful discussion with Adm Ginder.
- Ante, p. 1334.↩
- Dated June 19; enclosure to despatch 113, August 29, from Ankara, 681.8229/8–2950, not printed.↩
- Department’s telegram 427, December 20, to Moscow, requested the views of the Embassy in the Soviet Union on the probable Soviet reaction to the contemplated placement by Turkey of controlled mines moored on the bottom of the Bosporus. The Embassy replied that it believed that the Soviet Government “would at least react loudly” to this prospect, and that it “would be capitalized on to intensify current war of nerves against Turkey.” In these circumstances the Embassy opposed the proposal for mining the Bosporus unless it could be shown to be “vital for defense” and that there was “no feasible alternative such as stockpiling the mines in a position to be laid expeditiously in the event of hostilities” (telegram 1227, December 22, from Moscow, repeated to Ankara by the Department as information telegram of December 26, 1 a. m.). Both telegrams are scheduled for publication in volume iv.↩