Portrait of a Secretary -General of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Numan Menemencioğlu

Öz

Numan Menemencioğlu (1893-1958) is a diplomat who had pursued a brilliaııt career in the Turkish foreign service between 1914 and 1956. Menemencioğlu acted as the Secretary-General of the Turkish Foreign Ministry for thirtecn years in 1929-1942 and he assumed vital roles in the negotiation of such national questions as the Straits and Hatay with the foreigners. In International circles he was popular on account of his bright intellect and conciliatory skill and possessed a rcputation as an astute bargainer. Menemencioğlu has also acted as Foreign Minister in 1942-1944, represented Turkey as ambassador to France in 1944-1956 and was elected deputy from İstanbul in 1957.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Diplomat,Secretary-General,Foreign Minister

Portrait of a Secretary -General of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Numan Menemencioğlu

Öz

Numan Menemencioğlu (1893-1958) T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığının iç ve dış teşkilatında 1914 ila 1956 yılları arasında çeşitli kademelerde başarıyla görev yapmış bir diplomattır. 1929-1942 arasında onüç yıl Dışişleri Bakanlığı Genel Sekreterliği yapmış olup Boğazlar ve Hatay gibi ülkenin millî meşelerinin yabancılarla müzakeresinde hayatî roller üstlenmiştir. Menemencioğlu keskin zekası ve uzlaşma maharetinden ötürü uluslararası camiada sevilen bir diplomattı. Bütün meslekî hayatı boyunca usta bir müzakereci olarak tanınmıştır. Ayrıca, Dışişleri Bakanlığı bünyesinde reformlar yapmıştır. Menemencioğlu 1942-1944 yıllarında Dışişleri Bakanlığı yapmış ve bu sırada Genel Sekreterliği dönemindeki mahirane tutum ve davranışlarını sürdürmüştür. Adıgeçen; 1944-1956 yıllarında Paris'te büyükelçi olarak bulunmuş, 1956'da kendi isteğiyle emekli olmuş ve 1957'de milletvekili seçilmiştir:

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Diplomat,Genel Sekreter,Dışişleri Bakanı

Kaynakça

1. Archives of the Grand National .Assembly of Turkey, Curricukım Vitae of Numan Me¬nemencioğlu: Member of Parlİament for İstanbul, Personal File no.998. (Henceforth referred to as “C.V.N.M.”) See also Cumhuriyet, 16 February 1958. Faruk Sümer, Oğuzlar (Oghuzs), Ankara, 1967 ,p.194. For details on the origins of the Me-nemencioğullan family see Andrew Gould, “Lords or Bandits The Derebeys of Cilicia’, lııternationai Journal ofMiddle East Stııdies, 7, 1976,p.496. Gould (1976),p.500. 1967 Yearhook of the Ministry of Eoreigıı Affairs of the Repıtblic ofTıırkey, Ankara, 1968
2. (Henceforth referred to as “1967 Yearbook”),p.. 153. Nimet Arzık, Bitmeyen Kavga: İsmet İnönü (Unendİng Quarrel: İsmet İnönü), Ankara, 1966,p.69. Also Abidin Daver, “Yeni Hariciye Vekilimiz” (Our New Minister of Foreign Affairs), İkdam, 15 August 1942. Ibid. 1967 Yearbook, p.154. It is to be noted that learning French in childhood had become a fashionable practice among the upper and npper-middle class Ottomans by the late nineteenth century. C.V.N.M. Ibid. Faüh Rıfkı Atay, “Yeni Hariciye Vekilimiz” (Our New Minister of Foreign Affairs), Ulus, 14 August 1942. C.V.N.M. Hakkı Ocakoğlu,“Nanıan Menemencioğlu”, Yeni Asır, 15 August 1942. C.V.N.M. Oğuz Gökmen, Bir Zamanlar Hariciye: Eski Bir Diplomatın Hatıraları 1
3. (Önce Upon a Time Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Recollections of a Former Diplomat I), İstanbul, 1999, in particular pp.57,127,130 and 150. Also Semih Günver, Bir Kiraz Ağacı Olsaydım (lf I were a Cherry Tree), An¬kara, 1986, p.94.
4. Moreover, see Philip Graves, “The Questİon of Alexandretta”, The Nineteeııth Cen- tııry, vol. CXXIV (August 1938), p. 166. Franz von Papen, Memoirs, London, 1952,p.449. Hüseyin Cahit Yalçın, "Yeni Hariciye Vekilimiz” (Our New Minister of Foreign Affairs), Yeni Sabah, 15 Aııgııst 1942. See also Rene Massigli.Lz? Tıtraıtie devaııt la Guerre:
5. Mission â Ankara 1939-1940, Paris, 1964,p. 77. Ibid. Also Gökmen (1999), pp. 131-132 and Günver (1986), pp. 91-92.
6. Hugh Knatchbull-Hugessen, Diary:1939-1940, Entry of 9 May 1939. İn the keeping of Churchill College, Cambrİdge. Documents on German Foreign Policy, ser. D,voi.12.no.231, Papen (Ankara) to Foreign Mi¬nistry, 28 March 1941. Ibid.,no.295,Papen (Ankara) to Foreign Ministry, 29 April (941. Massigli(1964),p.77. William Norton Medlicott, Economic Blockade, vol.l, London,1952, p.269. Ibid.,p.274
7. Massigîi(1964),p.77. Gerhard Weinbcrg, The Foreign Policy ofHitler's Germany: 1937-1939, Chicago, 1980 ,p .241. Donald Cameron Watt, How War Canıe, London, 1989,p.274. Gökmen (1999) ,p .163. See also Kemal Girgin, Osmanlı ve Cumhuriyet Dönemleri Hariciye Tarihimiz: Teşkilat ve Protokol (Onr History of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Ottoman and Re- publican Periods: Organisation and Protocol), Ankara, 1994, pp.130-131, Cevat Açıkalııı'ın Antları (Recollectîons of Cevat Açıkahn), Belleten, vol.LVI, no.217 , December 1992,pp. 985-1078. Also Feridun Cemal Erkin, Dışişlerinde 34 Yıl. Anylar -Yorumlar (34 Years in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Recollections -Comments) ,vol. 1 , Ankara, 1980,passim. Girgin (1994), p. 132. Edward Weisband, Turkish Foreign Policy: 1943-1945. Small State Diplomacy and Great Poıver Politics, Princelon, 1973, p.49 and fiı.41. See also Semih Gilnver, Fatin
8. Rüştü Zorlu'nuıı Öy¬küsü (Story of Faliıı Rüştü Zorlu), Ankara, 1985, p.25, C.V.N.M. Arzyk (1966),p.66. Ibid.,pp. 272 and 284.

9. Cumhuriyet,-17 February 1958. Foreign Office Papers, Public Record Office, London. 371/R 10541/789/44. Memorandum by McOermott, on Knatchbull-Hugcssen (Ankara) to Eden, 20 June 1944. Arzyk (19ö6),p,67. See also Franz Weber, The Evasive Neıttral: Germany, Britain and the Questfora Turkish Alliance in the Second World War, Missouri: St. Louis, 1979, p.24. Erkiîi(1980),p.l79. Weisband (1973) , p. 47 and fn,39. Massigli (1964), pp.77-78. Erkin (1980), p. 133. And Hugh Knatchbnll-Hugessen, Diplomat in Peace and War, London, 1949,p.201. Gökmen(1999), p,lö3. Günver (1985),p.25