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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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Telegram of the deputy peopleʹs commissar for foreign affairs of the USSR to the peopleʹs commissariat of foreign affairs of the USSR, from Ankara

Out of line 24 November 1938

Together with Tereityeva this morning I visited Saracoglu, who held us for an hour and a half. He again thanked for the arrival of the delegation **, noted that the government had decided to give it and the sailors the most cordial welcome, assured us that friendship with the USSR was and will remain the basis of Turkeyʹs foreign policy and is one of the most important factors of peace. Saracoglu added that Turkeyʹs cooperation with the USSR should be even stronger and broadened, and that in a complex and tense international situation, it is desirable to prove to the whole world the inviolability of our relationship. Answering my questions further, the minister said that at present a number of countries are showing readiness to improve their relations with Turkey. However, no one is trying to tilt her towards Anti‐Soviet policy, because everyone understands that Turkey will never join him. Describing relations between Turkey and France, the minister noted that the trade exchange between the two countries is approaching zero. The question of the Sandjak has not yet been settled; in addition, according to recent reports, the French are going to create on Syrian territory, in particular in Alzhesiras *, hotbeds of Armenian, Turkish and Assyrian emigration hostile to Turkey. All this revives the old treaties between Turkey and France and raises doubts about the sincerity of French policy. Today Saracoglu has to talk about it with Sarro **, who will then be received by Inonu. Turkeyʹs relations with Italy are rather cool. 

The Italians ʺsulkʺ at Ankara, and Alois *** left without even visiting the foreign ministry and did not ask for a visit from Inonu, whom he has been personally visiting since his stay in Ankara as ambassador. It is known that in the same Algeciras, the Italians are actively working against both Turkey and France, which Mussolini is trying to annoy in order to force her to make concessions in favor of Italy. Relations with England are favorable for Turkey. The British were not convinced that Turkey was trying to use the Arab movement against them. With her loans, Britain makes it easier to arm Turkey. A trade agreement will be signed with the united states in the coming din, which is supposed to eliminate the 9 mli frozen in Turkey. Dollars and revive Turkish exports to America. The German market is the most important for the marketing of Turkish products. The Turks managed to liquidate the 30 mln frozen in Germany through purchases Lire. Now the Germans already have 17 million of frozen LPR in Turkey. The 150 million loan **** offered by the Germans will be used by Turkey for the needs of national defense. Saracoglu assured us assiduously that the Germans did not stutter about the intensification of political relations between Germany and Turkey, and even more so about any joint Anti‐Soviet combinations. In his zeal, Saracoglu went so far as to try to portray in front of us, as if he had even forgotten the name of funk. Not without emphasizing, he noted the fact that Neurath with his business

* so, in the document. ** minister of the interior of France. *** head of the Italian delegation that arrived at the funeral of Kemal Ataturk

He left yesterday, without having visited the foreign office or asked for an audience with Ingo. The whole conversation with Saracoglu leaves the impression of a deliberate courtesy, calculated to lull our suspicions about Turkeyʹs withdrawal from cooperation with the USSR and about its tilt towards our enemies.

After Saracoglu, we visited the closest friend of Ineya, the chairman of the Kamutai Abdulhalik Reida. We were received by him with special cordiality. He met and saw him off the porch of his house. More sincerely than Saracoglu, Abdulhalik Reida argued that Turkey would never change its friendship with the USSR. The most characteristic was his statement that if Turkey now has more friends than before, then Oio owes this only to her friendship with us. Today Abdulhalik Reida paid me a return visit at the embassy, noting that he had informed the president of the republic about this. Oi stayed with Ias for quite a long time, and several times inquired whether I was satisfied with the reception at Iieu and whether I would inform the Soviet government that Oio could be quite calm about the future of Soviet‐Turkish cooperation. We will give the content of the

conversation with Iıeu on the morning of 24 *.

Potemkin