DEC 9 1968

December 5, 1968

Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Executive Director
Harvard University Inter-
national Seminar
471 Broadway
Cambridge
Massachusetts 02138
U. S. A.

Dear Sir:

I am very pleased to congratulate you on your ap-
pointment as assistant to the president-elect, Mr. R.
Nixon, for national security affairs.

It would be an act of indiscretion for me to try
to make any comment on the personnel administration of
the highest order in your country. Let me simply ex-
press my sincere delight to have as one of the top
policy-makers of America the eminent scholar, for whom
I entertain great respect and deep admiration based on
personal contact.

Subject of whatever kind may cease to be discuss-
ed openly and peacefully in our country, once infringe-
ment on the constitution is called into question by
social and intellectual leaders, most of whom seem to
be ready to detect menacing elements to our consti-
tution in everything that may more or less be related
to the U. S. Our national defense is the most vulner-
able one, because it is not only un-constitutional but
also is inevitably involved in the global strategy of
your country.

I sincerely hope that your advice should enable
the new Administration to prepare a workable program
for collective defense of the democratic countries in
Asia, in which Japan may be incorporated as active
and willing member without any internal or external
conflict.

Wishing you every success in your new duty and
with my best personal regards, I remain

KISSINGER, HENRY A.

February 5, 1969

Mr. Leonard Unger
Bangkok

Dear Len:

Many thanks for your kind letter. I apologize for the lateness of my reply. It has taken me this long to get moved to Washington and relatively organized.

I appreciate your kind words and hope that I shall be able to justify your confidence. I would always be eager to have your personal thoughts on the situation in Thailand or South East Asia.

I always enjoyed our association and greatly respect your judgment, so do stay in touch.

RECEIVED
FEB 2 1 1969

CENTRAL FILES

EMBASSY OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bangkok, December 10, 1968

The Honorable
Henry A. Kissinger
Special Assistant to the
President-elect
c/o Department of State
Washington, D.C.

Dear Henry:

I am sure you can imagine my considerable pleasure when I read of your nomination. You will be in what is surely one of the hottest spots of all and I am personally and professionally pleased to know that someone with your background and thoughtful and systematic approach to problems will be there. Please don't hesitate to say the word if there is anything that I can pass along in the way of information or assessments which would be useful to you.

With warmest regards and best wishes for lots of luck in a most difficult task,