868.00/2–2447 [Document 30]
Memorandum of Conversation, bytheDirector of the Office of NearEasternandAfricanAffairs(Henderson)1
[Washington,] February 24, 1947.top secret
Participants: / TheSecretary.Mr. LoyHenderson, Director, NEA.
LordInverchapel, BritishAmbassador.
Mr. Herbert M. Sichel, FirstSecretary, BritishEmbassy.
TheBritishAmbassador, accompaniedbyMr. Sichel, FirstSecretary of theBritishEmbassy, wasreceived at theirrequestbytheSecretarythismorning at 9 o’clock. TheAmbassadorinformedtheSecretarythat, uponinstructionsfrom his Government, he had cometohandhimthetwoaide-mémoiresattachedhereto,2one relatingtoGreeceandtheothertoTurkey.
Afterreadingtheaide-mémoirerelatingtoGreece, theSecretarystatedthat he realizedthatthemattertreated in it was of theutmosturgencyandimportance, that it would be discussed at oncewiththePresidentandtheChiefs of Staffs, andthat he hopedthat a replycould be made in thenearfuture.
Afterexaminingtheaide-mémoirerelatingtoTurkey, theSecretraystatedthatwhat he had saidwithregardtothefirstnotealsoappliedtothesecond; thatthequestion of Turkeywouldalso be giventheurgentattention of the United StatesGovernment. He addedthatthe problem withregardtoTurkeyseemedto be somewhatdifferent, however, fromtheGreek problem. TheAmbassadoragreed, addingthattheGreek problem wasundoubtedlythemoreurgent of thetwo; nevertheless, it seemedwisetotheBritishGovernmentthatthe problem of Turkeyshould not be neglected.
TheSecretarysaidthat it was his understandingthattheRussians had made no movewithregardtoTurkeyforsome time andaskediftheAmbassador had anyideasregardingthereasonsfortheRussiansilence. TheAmbassadorsaidthat in his opinion no foreignerknowswhyRussiatakesorfailstotakecertainactions. Therefore, as an honestman, he mustadmitthat he is not in a positiontoexplainwhat is responsibleforthepresentSovietattitudetowardsTurkey. He couldmakeguesses, but his guesseswould be of no morevaluethanthose of anyotherperson.
TheAmbassadoremphasizedthefactthatneithertheGreeknortheTurkishGovernment had as yet beeninformed of thedecision of GreatBritainthat it could no longerextendfinancialassistancetoGreeceandTurkey. He addedthat it probablywould be disastrous: togivesuchinformationtotheGreeksortheTurksunlesstheycould be informed at thesame time thatthe United StatesGovernment had definiteplanstoaidthem.
L[oy] W. H[enderson]
1InitialedbytheSecretary of State.
2Theaide-mémoireof February 21,pp. 32and35.