Office of the Historian

374. Memorandum of a Conversation, Turkish NATO Delegation Headquarters, Paris, December 19, 1957, 4 p.m.1

USDel/MC/37
Paris, December 19, 1957, 4 p.m.

PARTICIPANTS

  • United States
    • The President
    • Mr. Rockwell
  • Turkey
    • Mr. Adnan Menderes, Prime Minister of Turkey
    • Mr. Fatin Zorlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey
    • Mr. Melih Esenbel, Secretary General of the Turkish Foreign Office

SUBJECT

  • Economic Assistance to Turkey

Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, Mr. Zorlu said that Turkey needed US support to help it overcome its economic difficulties. Turkey was grateful for what the US had already done. She was now taking measures to improve her budgetary situation and control inflation, and hoped the US would help her in this task. The US should speed up the current aid which has not yet been received, and give increased aid in addition.

The Prime Minister said that, with US help, in around three years Turkey would be in very good shape. Russian pressure made it more urgent than ever that Turkish economic measures be successful. The three-year drought had been a severe blow. The problem of the increase in population was also involved, added Mr. Zorlu.

The Secretary said that he was aware of the statement Mr. Menderes had made to Ambassador Warren about the measures the government would take to stabilize the economy.2 He would look into this matter in response to the Prime Minister’s request that he give it his personal attention.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 411.8241/2–3157. Secret. Drafted by Rockwell.↩
  2. In telegram 1648, December 12, Warren informed the Department that in discussions with Menderes on December 10, the Prime Minister had requested the Ambassador to inform his government that Turkey was taking steps to “lower price structure” and to “stabilize Turkish money”. Menderes also noted that the recent elections had revealed an increase in “Communist pressures” on Turkey. (Ibid., 782.5–MSP/12–1257)↩