Office of the Historian

396.1 GE/6–2554: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Delegation1

top secret
limit distribution
Washington, June 25, 1954—6:20 p.m.

Tosec 480. Tedul 2212 and 222,3 Dulte 199.4 Basic instructions transmitted Tosec 1385 were intended provide guidance for fully operative USDel. As such they were approved by President and Congressional [Page 1248] Committees at a time when it appeared settlement Indochina conflict acceptable to US might conceivably be reached.

Since delegation has now been reduced in size and concept its role revised to include only advisory or observer functions (Tedul 2116) it appears to us desirable alter its terms of reference accordingly and so to advise Congressional Committees. Additionally, developments at Geneva and in Indochina since date basic instructions have made possibility acceptable settlement appear so remote that we prefer now to revert to ad hoc basis in order render positions we shall take fully responsive to realities as we see them not only at Geneva but also in US and Indochina.

In consequence basic instructions are now withdrawn. Matters of substance should be referred Department with request for instructions each instance.

Dulles
  1. Drafted by Sturm of FE/PSA.↩
  2. Dated June 18, p. 1189.↩
  3. For text of message, see footnote 2, p. 1198.↩
  4. Dated June 19, ibid.↩
  5. Dated May 12, p. 778.↩
  6. Dated June 17, p. 1171.↩