Ankara Embassy files, lot 57 F 72, 400, 1953–54
No. 222
The Assistant Secretary of State for
Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Byroade) to the
Ambassador in Turkey (Warren)
official-informal
Dear Mr. Ambassador: Following the Istanbul Conference, we converted the substance of the conference recommendations on area defense and on Arab–Israel issues into NSC papers for Council consideration.2 Final action was taken on July 22, 19543 and the conference conclusions were confirmed in general with one exception. In the Arab–Israel paper, the Council approved taking the three economic steps in case of aggression, but determined that decisions regarding the establishment of a blockade and use of military force should be made at the time of aggression.
It is important that you realize that this exception to the conference recommendations indicates no lack of determination on the part of the United States to take such steps as might be necessary under the circumstances should aggression occur. The action taken indicates rather that no exception can be made to the established principle that decisions within our Government upon the use of force cannot be made prior to actual events and consideration of all the factors of the situation at that time.
I consider that these papers considerably advance United States policy in the Middle East. Copies of the documents will be forwarded to you in accordance with security regulations.
Sincerely yours,
- An attached cover sheet on the copy of this letter in the Embassy files noted that it had been received on Aug. 10, 1954.↩
- For documentation on the Chiefs of Mission Conference at Istanbul, May 11–14, including the texts of the papers mentioned here, see Documents 210–212 and 824.↩
- See NSC 5428, Document 219.↩