*EPF203 12/10/2002
Text: Powell Recalls Ambassador Gleysteen's Distinguished Service
(December 10 statement on death of prominent East Asia expert) (270)

Following is the text of the December 10 statement of Secretary of State Colin Powell on the December 6 death of Ambassador William Gleysteen:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 10, 2002

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL

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.

Ambassador Gleysteen was an outstanding person and professional, dedicated to the service of his country and the good of its people. His many friends and colleagues inside and outside the Department of State have lost a great and true friend. He will be deeply missed.

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

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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