Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy; Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters

333. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, October 18, 1961.

SUBJECT

• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961

PARTICIPANTS

• Mr. Mehmet Baydar, First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Turkey
• Mr. Charles I. Bevans, Assistant Legal Adviser for Treaty Affairs
• Miss Sylvia E. Nilsen, L/T
• Miss Helen Dougherty, OES

Mr. Baydar came in at 10:30 this morning by appointment to discuss the above-mentioned subject.

Mr. Baydar explained that his Government was seriously considering ratifying the Single Convention, but wished to have the views of other governments before reaching a decision. He stated that he was unfamiliar with the narcotics treaties, and that someone in the Embassy had given him a short briefing on the 1948² and 1953 Protocols and the Single Convention.

I informed him that the United States Government had not yet reached a position regarding the Single Convention; that the Convention was not signed on behalf of the United States during the period it was opened for signature because no position was reached during that time. I pointed out to him that among the matters requiring further consideration by this Government was the omission from the Single Convention of a closed list of export-producing countries. It was pointed out that under the terms of the Single Convention any country could export up to 5 tons of opium which it produced, provided it first notified the International Narcotics Control Board and indicated the names of the countries it expected to export such opium to and the controls in force as required by the Single Convention. Under the 1953 Protocol only the 7 named export-producing countries would be permitted to export opium. It was pointed out that at the present time any country is free to produce opium and to export it so far as the narcotics conventions in force are concerned. In the course of the discussion it was brought out that thirty-nine States have ratified the 1953 Protocol but that among the States which had not ratified were the United Kingdom, the USSR, and the African States.

I pointed out to him also that we were giving serious consideration to the reservations permitted with respect to certain articles but that we were very much gratified to see that the States which took advantage of those reservations at the time of signature did not do so to the full extent permitted but limited the effect of the reservations to their relations with countries not permitted to participate in the Convention.

I told Mr. Baydar that we would keep him informed of any position reached by this Government with respect to the Single Convention.

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1960–63, 341.9/10–1861. No classification marking. Drafted by Bevans.
2. Reference is to the Protocol Bringing Under International Control Drugs Outside the Scope of the Convention of July 13, 1931, for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs, as Amended by the Protocol Signed on December 11, 1946; done at Paris on November 19, 1948 (2 UST 1629).