890J.01/11–1945: Telegram
President Truman to the King of Yemen (the Imam Yehya bin Mohamed Hamid-ud-din)
Your Majesty: I avail myself of this opportunity to thank Your Majesty for the cordial reception accorded Mr. Clark, the American Consul at Aden, on the occasion of his recent informal visit to the Yemen, and for the expressions of friendship which Your Majesty graciously asked him to convey to me.
Mr. Clark has reported that Your Majesty’s Government might be agreeable to entering into a provisional agreement concerning diplomatic and trade relations. I have pleasure in informing Your Majesty that the Government of the United States would be pleased to discuss such an agreement with your Government.
I suggest, subject to Your Majesty’s approval, that such discussions might be conducted between representatives of Your Majesty’s Government and an envoy whom I would send to Sana’a with full powers for this purpose. My representative would have the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary and would be accompanied by an appropriate staff, including an American physician.
If with Your Majesty’s approval, a mission is sent to discuss an agreement it might be convenient to comply at the same time with Your Majesty’s request for the assistance of a technical expert with a knowledge of textiles and other manufacturing processes.
[Page 1318]It is my intention to designate the Honorable William A. Eddy, who is now Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Saudi Arabia to act as my representative on this mission.
I propose that my representative and his staff as well as the technical expert travel to Sana‘a by plane if this is agreeable to Your Majesty. The plane would follow the route and land at such spot as Your Majesty might designate.
I shall appreciate being advised by telegram whether Your Majesty desires at this time to discuss such a provisional agreement between our two Governments and if so, whether Your Majesty approves of the suggested arrangements.
I take this opportunity of conveying my best wishes for the continued good health of Your Majesty and Their Royal Highnesses Your Majesty’s sons.