Letter Greeting the President of the Philippines Upon His Arrival at Washington National Airport.

My dear Mr. President:

It always gives me the greatest pleasure to welcome you to Washington and to have an opportunity of seeing you again. It is particularly so this time in view of the circumstances which I consider to be one of the most historic events in Philippine-American relations and a vital milestone in our mutual quest for peace and security.

I am looking forward to seeing you this noon and to having lunch with you after the signing of the Mutual Defense Treaty, as well as to the opportunity of discussing problems of common interest. Permit me again to extend to you a most cordial welcome and to express the hope that this visit in the United States will be both pleasant and profitable.

Very sincerely yours,

HARRY S. TRUMAN

[His Excellency Elpidio Quirino, President of the Republic of the Philippines.]