134. Telegram From the Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the Embassy in Egypt1
24. For Ambassador Byroade from Ambassador Wadsworth. London for Henderson. Department telegram 133, repeated information Cairo 496, London 1345.2
- (1)
- Reference telegram was delivered to me at midnight one hour after Yusuf Yasin had left my house. He is flying Cairo 6 a.m., I will get word to him at airplane to see you before seeing Nasser.
- (2)
- Yusuf said he had
conveyed Anderson’s
message to King Saud who
had given him following instructions:
He was not to mention Anderson mission except with approval USG conveyed to him by me or you.
If he should arrive Cairo and find you had no answer from USG, he was to tell Nasser why King had not sent special emissary to Washington, i.e., because of President’s absence in San Francisco, and then say that in lieu thereof King had conveyed special message his grave concern and had received in reply special message highly reassuring as to USG effort achieve peaceful settlement. In latter connection he was to speak substantially along lines proposed statement Embassy telegram 973 and “to urge and endeavor persuade Nasser to work with US”.
He was then to use his discretion, as changing circumstances might dictate, in endeavoring ascertain how far Nasser willing go to meet 5-power proposal and, after consulting Henderson, in assisting in lessening tensions. In latter connection he was especially to endeavor persuade Nasser to stop his radio and other propaganda attacks against Western powers.
- (3)
- Apparently reflecting considerations which had prompted these instructions, Yusuf said: “We should face facts frankly; any international system will be refused by Nasser; so we must find some other way to attain same end”. His first task, therefore, would be to endeavor gain Nasser’s confidence by convincing him King Saud truly wished assist in finding solution.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 974.7301/8–2856. Top Secret; Niact. Repeated Priority to London and to the Department of State, where it was received at 4:29 a.m. The source text is the copy sent to Washington.↩
- See footnote 3, Document 132.↩
- Document 132.↩