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1252176
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12/14/74 - Toast at French State Dinner, Martinique
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1252176
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contentType
document
title
12/14/74 - Toast at French State Dinner, Martinique
citationUrl
collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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France
Martinique
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1252176
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14
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1974-12-14
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12
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1974
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14
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1974-12-14
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12
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1974
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The original documents are located in Box 4, folder "12/14/74 - Toast at French State
Dinner, Martinique" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 4 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
- 1 -
MR. PRESIDENT:
THE HOSPITALITY EXTENDED TO ME HAS REFLECTED THE
WARMTH OF THE CLIMATE OF THIS REMARKABLE ISLAND AND THE
SPIRIT OF YOUR KIND WORDS OF WELCOME.
I AM PROUD TO BE THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT
IN OFFICE TO VISIT THIS PART OF FRANCE IN THE CARIBBEAN,
AND I WOULD LIKE AGAIN TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO YOU
FOR SUGGESTING MARTINIQUE AS THE LOCATION OF OUR FIRST MEETING.
- 2 -
THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE HAVE BEEN CLOSE
FRIENDS FOR TWO CENTURIES.
FROM OUR AMERICAN REVOLUTION
THROUGH THE DARKEST DAYS OF WORLD WAR TWO, OUR COUNTRIES
HAVE STOOD TOGETHER IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS.
AND, TODAY,
OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE TO OUR COUNTRIES AND TO THE WEST,
A STRONG ATLANTIC ALLIANCE SAFEGUARDS OUR SECURITY.
- 3 -
AS OLD FRIENDS AND ALLIES WE HAVE MUCH
TO TALK ABOUT.
ON MANY POINTS WE SHALL AGREE:
ON OTHERS WE MAY DIFFER.
BUT IT IS OF THE GREATEST
IMPORTANCE THAT WE WILL TALK WITH FULL CANDOR SINCE
WE SHARE THE SAME IDEALS.
A RELATIONSHIP OF
CONFIDENCE IS ESSENTIAL.
IT IS ONLY THROUGH SUCH
A RELATIONSHIP THAT OUR COMMON OBJECTIVES CAN BEST BE
SERVED AND ANY DIFFERING VIEWS RECONCILED.
- 4 -
AS IN TIMES PAST, WE JOINTLY FACE MAJOR
CHALLENGES.
THIS TIME THE IMMEDIATE DANGER IS NOT WAR
BUT THE PROBLEMS OF PEACE
INFLATION,
BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
DEFICITS
\
ENERGY SHORTAGES AND -- FOR MANY --
SHORTAGES OF FOOD ITSELF.
THESE PROBLEMS ACCENTUATE
THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF NATIONS AND THE NEED FOR COMMUNICATION
AND COOPERATION.
AT STAKE IS THE STABILITY OF EVERY
ECONOMY, THE WELFARE OF EVERY NATION.
UNILATERAL MEASURES
CAN NO LONGER SUFFICE IN SOLVING PROBLEMS OF SUCH UNIVERSAL
DIMENSION.
- 5 -
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU RECENTLY DESCRIBED
THIS SITUATION VERY VIVIDLY WHEN YOU SAID 1 THE WORLD IS
UNHAPPY.
INDEED, THE WORLD IS TROUBLED. BUT IF
WE ARE TO TRANSCEND OUR DIFFICULTIES AND SUCCESSFULLY
MEET OUR CHALLENGES, WE MUST COOPERATE.
- 6 -
WE FACE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY.
IN DEALING WITH IT ON THE BASIS OF CONSUMER SOLIDARITY,
WE SEEK CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE -- NOT CONFRONTATION
THE UNITED STATES IS CONVINCED THAT COOPERATION AND
SOLIDARITY AMONG THE CONSUMER NATIONS MARK THE SUREST
WAY TO REACH UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PRODUCER NATIONS
WHICH WE ALL DESIRE.
- 7 -
I AM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD, MR. PRESIDENT,
TO EXCHANGING IMPRESSIONS ON EAST-WEST RELATIONS AND
ON OUR RECENT MEETINGS 'WITH GENERAL SECRETARY BREZHNEV,
I AM SURE WE WILL AGREE THAT ALL OF US IN THE WEST
WILL BENEFIT FROM CLOSE CONSULTATIONS AS THE POLICY OF
DETENTE CONTINUES TO DEVELOP.
- 8 -
OUR INTERDEPENDENCE REQUIRES THAT WE --
TOGETHER WITH OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS -- JOIN IN
CONCERTED RESPONSES TO THE DANGERS WHICH CONFRONT US ALL
LET US CONTINUE OUR HISTORIC RELATIONSHIP WITH RENEWED
SPIRIT AND REDOUBLED EFFORT, AS GOOD AND RESPONSIBLE FRIENDS.
- 9 -
OUR COMMON HERITAGE GIVES ME CONFIDENCE
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE JOINT ENDEAVORS FOR PEACE AND STABILITY
IN THE WORLD.
MR. PRESIDENT, IT IS WITH THIS OBJECTIVE
THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR DISCUSSIONS TOMORROW.
I HAVE
EVERY HOPE THAT OUR TALKS WILL STRENGTHEN THE FRIENDSHIP
BETWEEN US BOTH IN THE BILATERAL SENSE AND ALSO AS MEMBERS
OF AN ALLIANCE WHICH AMERICANS REGARD AS THE CORNERSTONE
OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY.
- - 10 -
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IN THE SPIRIT OF
FURTHER STRENGTHENING OUR HISTORIC TIES, I ASK ALL OF YOU
TO STAND AND RAISE YOUR GLASSES IN HONOR OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC AND HIS LOVELY WIFE.
END OF TEXT