331. Letter From President Carter to Philippine President Marcos1
I wish to welcome you once more to the United States. I regret that it is not possible for me to greet you in person. I am pleased, however, that my good friend Dean Rusk will receive you on my behalf.2 It is my hope that you and he will find time to discuss our relations and the international situation. I have given him my own thoughts for such a conversation. He will be accompanied by Assistant Secretary Holbrooke whom you know well from his several visits to the Philippines.
Dean Rusk will also take this occasion to express to you my admiration for [Page 1064] your government’s strong, positive stance on regional and global problems that concern us all. The many countries that have joined together in the massive effort to save Indochinese lives are also joined in gratitude for Philippine generosity in providing the processing site at Bataan.3 Americans, in addition, feel a special gratitude for the support you have given our efforts to secure the release of our hostages in Iran.4
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan5 has once again demonstrated the importance of our mutual defense relationship to the maintenance of peace and security. As you know, Subic has played a vital role in allowing us to project American naval power into the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea—an indispensable element in our response to Soviet aggression in Southwest Asia. The arrangements we agreed to in our recent base negotiations are clearly working very well, and to our mutual advantage. In this connection, I have directed that an all-out effort be made to obtain from Congress the security assistance appropriations in the full amounts requested by me pursuant to my letter to you of January 4, 1979.6
Your government’s forthright position in favor of boycotting the summer Olympic Games7 has contributed significantly to the prospects of successfully demonstrating to Moscow the heavy political cost of its aggression. The recent American Olympic Committee decision has been most heartening. I am confident that we will achieve our goal as long as like-minded countries move forward together in support of the boycott and of alternative world-class competition.
Mr. President, in these times of challenge, nations and peoples are being called upon to stand up for their values and their interests. We are proud that our time-tested friendship with the Philippines has once again shown its enduring value to both our nations. I wish that I could be with you during your visit to Hawaii. In my absence—which I hope you will understand—my friend Dean Rusk will be able to convey to me any personal messages that you may wish to send.
Finally, I want you to know how much my son Jeff and his wife enjoyed their recent visit to the Philippines and the gracious hospitality shown them by you and Mrs. Marcos.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 39, Philippines: 1979–1980. No classification marking.↩
- Rusk met with Marcos in Honolulu. See Document 332.↩
- The Philippines agreed to open a Refugee Processing Center for Indochinese refugees at the July 20–21, 1979, Geneva conference. See Document 138.↩
- Iranian students took 52 Americans hostage on November 4, 1979. See Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vols. X and XI, Part 1 and Part 2.↩
- The Soviet invasion began on December 24, 1979.↩
- See Document 326.↩
- The U.S.-sponsored boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games was in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.↩