Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Turkey Feridun C. Erkin, and C. Robert Moore

725, 451 DEPARTMENT OF STATE 413 S/S MA Memorandum of Conversation 115 DATE: April 27,1951 SUBJECT: Conversation with Turkish Ambassador coaf PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Feridun C. Erkin - Ambassador of Turkey Mx. Dean Acheson - Secretary Mr. C. Robert Moore - GTI AND and 1: COPIES TO: NEA Enbassy - Ankara EUR - Athens S/P - London S/ISA - Paris DRN - Moscou OLI u. s. ,GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Ambassador Erkin stated that he had been called back to Turkey for consultation and that he wanted to discuss with me two problems of considerable importance to Turkey on which he would be questioned. 1. The status of Turkey's request for a U. S. security commitment. Ambassador Erkin pointed out that in view of developments in Iran and elsewhere the Turkish people are becoming increasingly disturbed and confused over the fact that Turkey's proposols to the U. 8. with respect to reciprocal security arrangements have received no definite reply. He stated that it would be most help- ful, in clarifying the atmosphere, if such a reply could be given, even though it may be negative. I assured the Ambassador that the Turkish position on this security problen has been ably and forcefully presented by him and by Ambassador Wadsworth and that we fully appreciate its importance to Turkey. We recognize that it is a problem to which we must find a solution and developments since 1947, when we initiated our pro- gram of military aid to Turkey, are helpful to us in our efforts to find this solution. We in this country have a much greater aware- ness now than in 1947 of the Soviet menace and of the efforts that DECLASSIFIED are E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 3001 5-12-76 Dept. of State letter, the HC MARS Date 6.24.76