811.001 Truman, H.S./5–2349
President Truman to King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia 1
Your Majesty: I have read with great appreciation and pleasure your letter of March 31, 1949,2 and welcome the renewed expression of friendship contained therein. I am grateful for the frankness with which you have spoken, and will avail myself of the privilege of speaking equally frankly in return.
I have reviewed the negotiations which have taken place with regard to the renewal of the Dhahran Airbase Agreement, and am happy to find that much progress has been made since the despatch of your letter and that through the process of friendly negotiation between equals there is reason to believe complete agreement will be reached in the near future. It is my sincere hope that this agreement for a period of one year may be concluded promptly, in order that we may proceed with plans and negotiations for a long-term agreement which would be to the mutual advantage of our two countries. I am directing the Department of State and the National Military [Page 1600] Establishment to make a careful study of the whole subject, in order that negotiations for a long-term agreement can be initiated at an early date to ensure a complete exchange of views and reasonable chance for full understanding.
Your Majesty’s reference to Point Four of the inaugural address is very much appreciated. As Your Majesty is aware, the type of mutual cooperation envisaged in this plan has already been initiated in Saudi Arabia, where American private capital and United States technical assistance have already worked to the benefit of all parties concerned. It is to be hoped that the program being developed under Point Four can be planned so as to bring to complete fruition the mutual economic interests of the United States and Saudi Arabia.
In closing, I wish to extend my sincere personal wishes for the continued health and happiness of Your Majesty and the prosperity of your people.
Very sincerely yours,
- Transmitted to Jidda as an enclosure to instruction 25, May 24 (890F.7962/5–2349); not printed. The reply was drafted by the Department and sent by Secretary Acheson to the President in a memorandum of May 10, which stated that the reply “avoids any direct mention of the King’s desire for a defense pact” (890F.7962/5–1049).↩
- Not printed; for summary, see telegram 254, April 6, from Jidda, p. 1594.↩