890.20/7–3049: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Secretary of State
955. At weekly press conference with Korea reporters July 29 President Rhee was asked following questions:
“It is generally admitted that without US aid the Pacific Pact cannot become effective and will exist as nothing more than a political gesture. A foreign despatch indicated that there was a radical difference in the opinions of President Quirino and Mr. Romulo regarding the Pact. Does not Mr. Romulo’s opinion reflect the United States opinion that the conclusion of the Pacific Pact is premature.”
Rhee replied as follows:
“Since the time of President George Washington the US has adhered to a policy of isolation. Recently the US has given up that policy in order to keep abreast of the changing world situation. Rather because of the influence of the previous isolation policy some Americans still might object to the conclusion of any international treaty. At any rate, so far as I know, the US will not oppose the conclusion of any anti-Communistic alliance in the Far East. In principle there is no reason why the Pacific Pact may not be concluded. If there are any who oppose it, I dare say it is because they do not understand the world situation. It is reported that Ambassador at Large Philip Jessup was ordered by the Department of State to organize a committee to study the US policy of the Far East.1 We favor this idea because the US Government will follow opinion submitted by this committee. [”]
In reply to question whether Quirino would visit Korea, Rhee said:
“I am afraid that President Quirino cannot pay Korea a visit soon because of a general election in the Philippines and because of his visit [Page 1179] to the US.2 However, Mr. Chiang Kai-shek will probably come to Korea some time in August.”
Sent Department, repeated Manila 25.
- For announcement on July 30 of appointment of two consultants to the Department, see Department of State Bulletin, August 22, 1949, p. 279.↩
- A projected state visit by President Quirino to the United States was being planned at this time for the near future. The frame of reference for the trip was established more or less on July 19 at Washington in a conference between the Secretary of State, the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth), the Ambassador to the Philippines (Cowen), and the Philippine Ambassador (Elizalde). A memorandum of conversation read in part as follows: “Asked by Ambassador Cowen whether the President understood that he would be coming here merely for a visit and conference and there would not be attached to the visit any material commitments on the part of the U.S., the Philippine Ambassador said that he thought that President Quirino was entirely clear on this point but that he was scheduled to speak with him at eight o’clock tonight and he would ensure that his [this] was completely understood.” (896.001/7–1949).↩