Message to South Vietnam's President Nguyen Van Thieu from Gerald R. Ford on the Day He Became President

MEMBAA S COPY COUNTRIES, CAN BE RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY UTILIZED TO BRING T4E SOUTH VIETNAMESE ECONOMY TO A ELF-SUSTAINING LEVEL IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. AS THE PROFESSIONAL EFFI- - CIENCY, THE HIGH MORALE, AND THE COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS DE THE ARMED FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAMBECOME INCREASTNGLY EVIDENT TO THE LEADERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM IN HANOI, IT IS MY EARNEST HOPE THAT THEY WILL AGREE TO RETURN TO PARTICIPATION IN THE MACHANISMS SET UP BY THE PARIS AGREEMENTS AMD BEGIN TO SERIOUSLY WORK OUT WITH YOU MODALITIES FOR THE FULL AND COMPLETE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PARIS AGREEMENTS WHICH I KNON IS YOUR DESIRE. I KNOW vou MUST BE CONCERNED BY THE INITIAL STEPS TAKEN BY THE CONGRESS ON THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR APPROPRIATIONS FOR ROTH ECONOMIC AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE Tn THE REPUBLIC OF VIETUA. nur LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS A COMPLICATED ONE AND IT. is NOT YET COMPLETED. ALTHOUGH IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE TIME I DO WANT TO REASSURE YOU OF MY CONFIDENCE THAT IN THE END OUR SUPPORT WILL BE ADEQUATE ON BOTH COUNTS. IN THESE IMPORTANT ENDEAVOOS I SHALL LOOK TO DR. KISSINGER, WHOM I HAVE ASKED TO REMAIN AS SECRETARY OF STATE, FOR GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT. HE WAS MY FULLEST CONFIDENCE, AS OnES AMCASSADOR MARTIN. SINCERELY, GERALD R. FORD END TEXT KISSINGER BT R. FORD JUNE, RECALLED PSN: 018150 PAGE 02 OF 02 TOR:221/17:522 DTG:09j725Z AUG 74 MEANER *******S COPY