Death of Ambassador William Gleysteen

We learned of the death of Ambassador William Gleysteen on December 6 with great sadness. In his thirty years of service to the United States as a career Foreign Service Officer, Ambassador Gleysteen was an exemplar of the highest ideals of public service.

After entering the Foreign Service in 1951, Ambassador Gleysteen quickly became one of the Department�s top experts on East Asia. In Washington and on assignment abroad, his insightful counsel was sought and relied upon by the leaders of the Department and of the entire United States Government. His distinguished service as the U.S. established diplomatic relations with the People�s Republic of China and, especially, as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea at a time of great importance to the bilateral relationship were highlights of an extraordinary career. Before entering the Foreign Service, he had served his country in the U.S. Navy. After his retirement from the Foreign Service, he continued, in several capacities and in his thoughtful and scholarly writings, to promote improved relations between the United States and the countries of East Asia.

All of us in the Department extend our deepest condolences to Ambassador Gleysteen�s family and many friends here and abroad.