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7339437
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Pool Report, Luncheon and Coffee at Moncloa Palace
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1
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7339437
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contentType
document
title
Pool Report, Luncheon and Coffee at Moncloa Palace
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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7339437
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31
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1975-05-31
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5
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1975
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373be4056b88988c
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Digitized from Box 11 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
POOL REPORT # 3
LUNCHEON AND COFFEE AT MCNCLOA PALACE
May 31, 1975
Mrs. Ford arrived at the Moncloa Palace at 2:14 pm in a black
Imperial. The undulating siren of the car driven by the security
guards preceding her began to blair, as they pulled to a stop it soon
became obvious that the siren was stuck. The guards leaped from
the car and they threw up the hood and instead of worrying about
security, they attempted to disconnect it. Mrs. Ford entered the
Palace. Three minutes later the President arrived with the President
Of The Government, Carlos Arias Navarro and escorted him into
the three story Renaissance style Palace which was built in 1953 on the
site of an older building destroyed during the Spanish Civil War (for
more complete history we refer you to the green bible). The Palace
is constructed of light stone for the first story, and pink brick for the
two top stories.
Ford and Arias were followed by Kissinger and Foreign Minister Pedro
Cortina Mauri. The Luncheon was in the Hall of Columns (Salon),
a room which takes its name from the arched columns around the room.
Large cheery room with window lights in the ceiling and French doors
opening onto the grass patio from which one has a spectacular view
of the distant valleys and mountains.
The luncheon was at a lang rectangular table with ten persons on either
side. A large floral arrangement featuring red rose buds and
zinnias served as the centerpiece of the banquet table. There were
figurines. Above was a large goldleaf and crystal chandlier. There
were also a variety of floral arrangements on tables about the room.
The President sat in the middle of the group facing the French doors
with President Arias on his right and the Second Vice President and
the Minister of Finance, Rafael Cabello Alba on his left.
Kissinger sat opposite him with Cortina on his right and Lieutenant
General Francisco Gallegos, the Army Minister on his left. The
American party also included Nessen, U.S. Ambassador Wells Stabler,
Rumsfeld, Counsllor Robert Hartmann, General Scowcroft, Sonnenfeldt,
and Secretary Hartman. We were admitted briefly when the group
was first seated and Cabello was chiding Kissinger about someone
who was unable to appreciate Kissinger's humor. "But the British
Chairman appreciated your humor", Cabello said. We were not
able to pick up any of the other conversation. We were escorted
in again for the toasts which we were told were piped into the press
room and carried live on Spanish Radio and TV. When the toasts
were finished they repaired to the patio for coffee.
The Palace stands on a hilltop in the middle of a landscaped tract
with a variety of pines, cedar, poplars, norfolk pine, and what
appearedto be a variety of sycamores called platanos. Some are
planted in ornamental patterns and the President approached the
Palace along a roadway flanked by platanos that form an arch over-
head.
Steve Bell, ABC
Bill Ringle,
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