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  Selected Secret Documents from Soviet Foreign Policy Documents Archives - 1919 to 1941

Concentrated on 1st and  2nd WW Correspondence and Meetings related to Turkey, Balkans and Iran, with some additions from Afghanistan and India.

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From: political letter of the plenipotentiary of the USSR representation in Germany

November 19, 1940

Top secret

...................

About Turkey

Unlike some other powers, Turkey was mentioned specifically and precisely in the leading national Zeitung of 11. xi.

“states located in the sphere of German‐Russian interests and who have not finally established their position at the moment should see Molotovʹs visit as a reason to test their policy. Turkey is primarily located in this political zone”.

In the diplomatic game of Germany, Turkey has recently occupied one of the most important places. This is confirmed by the behavior of the German press, the movements of troops closer to Turkey (Romania, Bulgaria) and the trips of the German ambassador to Turkey, Von Papen, to berlin. Not long before comrade Molotovʹs trip to berlin, Papen had the opportunity to ʺhunt pheasantsʺ in the bohemian forests together with Ribbentrop and Ciano, which he publicly confirmed at a meeting of journalists on November 15. During comrade Molotovʹs stay in berlin, Papen was also here and even taking part in a dinner in honor of comrade Molotov on November 12 at the Kaiserhof. On November 15, Papen spoke at the house of foreign journalists on German‐Turkish relations. According to journalists, the ambassadorʹs speech in this house is not at all a custom. Then Papen left for Vienna.

The aforementioned speech of Papen was transmitted to Tass, but the report of Tass correspondents at some points differs from the information of comrade Kobulov.

Based on the materials available to comrade Kobulov, Papen spoke diplomatically, but clearly enough to understand the following:

ʺ1. The straits issue is a decisive issue for Turkey.

2 the question of the straits has lost its historical significance for Russia.

For the USSR, there are other problems and development opportunities.

3.  Germany is not directly interested in the straits.

4.  Why have strong points (bases) if you can live in friendship.

5.  In fact, Germany is the only country that can supply Turkey with the necessary industrial goods. ʺ

According to the same source, Germanyʹs general line towards Turkey allegedly boils down to the following (this was indirectly confirmed by Papen):

ʺ1. Germany will try to establish friendly relations with Turkey. The leadership will be carried out by Von Papen, as he ʺknows all the leaders of Turkey who were in the world war in his army ...ʺ *

* in 1917‐1918, Papen served in the Folsenau army in Mesopotamia and

Palestine, and then in the 4th ottoman army (information provided by deutsche Führerlexikon).

In berlin, they decided to launch an immediate political offensive against Turkey, since a calm pause ensued in German‐Russian relations.

2 Germany will persuade Turkey that Germany could take on guarantees that no other power will receive the Dardanelles.

3. Germany rejects all Russian claims to Turkey. ʺ

From the stories of our correspondents about Papenʹs speech, his remark about Syria deserves attention:

“question: what happened to Syria?

Papenʹs answer: nothing much happened, but I think Turkey is very interested in Syria. I don’t think there’s anything new there.”

For the sake of completeness, let us cite the message of the berlin bulletin of the American agency ʺunited pressʺ of November 18, 1940 from Istanbul: “Istanbul, November 18. In the first official reports on Molotovʹs visit to berlin, conveyed by the Turkish ambassador in berlin, the opinion is expressed that at present there is no reason for Turkey to fear changes in its present position. Turkish ambassador to berlin Gerede said: ʺat the moment I am confident that the German‐Turkish relations, which can be regarded as normal, will not change.ʺ they expect that on Monday Gerede will inform the Turkish government about Molotovʹs visit to berlin. The Turkish press says it is necessary to wait for what will happen in the near future. The newspaper, however, expresses its conviction that Keitel’s negotiations with Badoglio should accelerate the development of events in the south‐east. ʺ

Outwardly, the reaction of the Turks to comrade Molotovʹs visit here was expressed in a hasty visit to the embassy by the Turkish adviser Alkend (see the diary of adviser Semenov of November 15 of this year) *. Alkend expressed the opinion that the involvement of the USSR in European affairs could only be beneficial for Turkey, but he was nevertheless alarmed and assured too much about Turkeyʹs friendly feelings towards the USSR.

...............

Union and Germany, are in London ... ʺ(frontlineʺ kölnische zeitung ʺ16.xi.) [...]

Avp rf, f. 082, on. 23, p. 104, d. 57, l. 146‐166.