TELEGRAM TO SECRETARY OF STATE FROM GENEVA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01731R000900120048-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 2003
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: May 3, 1954
• Content Type: TELEGRAM

INCOMING T For fD
a~3ty1MA P8d9"00090A120048-2
FROM: Geneva
TO: Secretary of State
N0: DULTE 45, May 3, noon
Control: ) 9b1
Rec' d: May 5, 1954
9:07 a.m.
SENT DEPARTMENT DULTE 45, REPEALED INFORMATION LONDON 110.
Following is text of letter from Secretary delivered to Eden
last night:
"Dear Anthony:
"I am taking back to Washington for discussion with the
President the memorandum on Southeast Asian defense which you
gave me on April 30. I think there is much in it with which
we would go along. However, it does not (repeat not) seem to
me that the eighth paragraph proposing immediate and secret
joint examination between the United States and the United
Kingdom is in itself adequate.
"Your paragraph seven says that you do not (repeat not) think
that a French collapse in Indochina could come about as rapidly
or as completely as we appear to envisage. I hope you are
right. I think, however, that our pessimistic view will almost
surely prove correct if France is left at this moment with
virtually no (repeat no) alternative to a londley*, hopeless
negotiation, which will amount to unconditional surrender.
I think it imperative that we inject some new element into
the situation, and I believe that the least we should do would be
to invite the French into at least certain phases of our talks
and let this be known.
"We have just had a meeting of the ANZUS Council at which
Australia and New Zealand indicated a willingness to proceed
with military discussions with your government and mine and
France, and with the desirability of Thailand being brought in.
This last is in accordance with the concluding paragraph of
your memorandum.
"If we do nothing in the way of planning a common defense until
every last detail of nature and purpose, membership and commit-
ments is agreed upon between our two governments acting secretly,
then I fear circumstances will move against us so rapidly that
6aoament xo. what we dp a?g upon will have been rendered obsolete by events.
Review of lhls doottatent by CIA has State Department review completed
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 Approved For Release 2003/10/07 : CIA-RDP80R01731 R000900120048-2
SECRET
-2- DULTE- 45, May 3, noon, from Geneva.
Could not (repeat not) your government reconsider its position
as expressed in your memorandum at least to the extent of
enabling us to help provide Bidault with some element of hope,
which might enable him to gather the political strength to hold
off from the surrender which otherwise seems inevitable. Faith-
fully yours, John Foster Dulles."
VH/11
*As received. Will be serviced upon request.
Approved For Release 2003/10/07 : CIA-RDP80RO1731 R000900120048-2