795.00/7–2853
President Eisenhower to the President of the Republic of Korea (Rhee)1
Dear President Rhee: Thank you very much for the cordiality of your letter. Permit me to say also that I have been most deeply appreciative of your agreement not to obstruct the implementation of the armistice in spite of your misgivings as to the final outcome.
In the hope of doing something to facilitate future cooperation between your country and mine and between you and me, our Secretary of State, Mr. Dulles, presently plans to leave for Korea within a matter of days. As you know, he enjoys my full confidence and will be able to expound upon my sentiments of admiration and respect for you personally, as well as to outline those directions in which we hope to be of immediate assistance to the government and people of the Korean Republic.
With assurances of my continued friendship and esteem,
- This letter was drafted by Johnson and cleared by Dulles; it was transmitted to Seoul in telegram 80, July 28, 1953.↩