890F.6363/28: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt ( Kirk )
788. Jidda’s 27, July 3, 2 p.m. At the proper time the Department will instruct its representative at Jidda to advise Americans to evacuate Saudi Arabia. If and when that is done, the Saudi Arab Government should be officially informed. However, no such warning or advice should be issued at this time or any other time except on specific instructions from the Department because it is undesirable to alarm the Saudi Government and because evacuation will be advised only after consultation with the War Department in view of the paramount strategic considerations involved.
Final denial operations are understood to be the subject of agreement between the company and responsible officials here whereby action would take place as a strictly military operation in which company employees would not take part.
Department will of course bear the question of communications in mind but due to strategic considerations above mentioned desires to [Page 582] retain responsibility for issuance of evacuation warning in its own hands.
While the War Department is considering various possibilities, it apparently has no present intention of taking over defense or operation of Dhahran.
Repeat to Jidda as Dept’s. No. 23.