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1253121
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12/6/76 - Remarks at State Dinner in Honor of Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti of Italy
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1253121
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document
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12/6/76 - Remarks at State Dinner in Honor of Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti of Italy
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Italy
Speeches, addresses, etc.
Dinners and dining
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1253121
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6
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1976-12-06
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12
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1976
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6
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1976-12-06
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12
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 42, "12/6/76 - Remarks at State Dinner in Honor
of Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti of Italy" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 42 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
sy
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
REMARKS AT DINNER FOR PRIME MINISTER ANDREOTTI
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1976
-1-
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
MR. PRIME MINISTER, DISTINGUISHED ITALIAN
GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
-2-
PRESIDENT LEONE OF ITALY WAS THE FIRST STATE VISITOR
I WELCOMED TO WASHINGTON AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
TONIGHT WE ARE ONCE AGAIN CELEBRATING THE OFFICIAL VISIT
OF A DISTINGUISHED ITALIAN LEADER, PRIME MINISTER ANDREOTTI.
-3-
THESE TWO VISITS SYMBOLIZE THE CLOSE FRIENDSHIP OF OUR TWO
COUNTRIES AND THE CONTINUITY OF AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR
A VALUED ALLY
-4-
EARLIER THIS AUTUMN WE WELCOMED THE VISIT OF THE
ITALIAN FIRST LADY, MRS. VITTORIA LEONE, WHO ADDED HER GRACE
AND FRIENDSHIP TO THE ALREADY IMPRESSIVE ITALIAN CONTRIBUTION
TO OUR BICENTENNIAL
-5-
THE PERFORMANCES OF THE LA SCALA OPERA,
THE LOAN OF THE
VENUS DE MEDICI (May - dee - chee) TO OUR NATIONAL GALLERY,
ITALIAN
PARTICIPATION IN THE TALL SHIPS REVIEW,
AND MANY OTHER
BICENTENNIAL EVENTS, WERE SYMBOLS OF WHAT AMERICANS HAVE
GAINED FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP
FOR THIS, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE GRATEFUL
-6-
THE GIFT THAT MRS. LEONE PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE
ITALIAN PEOPLE
A PORTRAIT OF THOMAS JEFFERSON WHICH HUNG
FOR NEARLY 200 YEARS IN THE CONVENT OF LODI (Low-dee) IN ITALY --
TODAY HANGS IN THE OVAL OFFICE
THIS IS A TREASURED REMINDER
OF ITALIAN-AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP
-7-
MR. PRIME MINISTER, FOR TWO CENTURIES ITALIAN
CULTURE HAS ENRICHED THE LIFE OF THE UNITED STATES WITH UNIQUE
CONTRIBUTIONS
-8-
HISTORIANS POINT OUT THAT THOMAS JEFFERSON, IN WRITING THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, DREW ON THE WISDOM OF HIS
ITALIAN FRIEND, FILIPPO MAZZEI (Fee-lee-po) (Mars - SAY)
IN THE DRAFTING OF SEVERAL NOW-IMMORTAL PHRASES
-9-
OUR CAPITOL BUILDING IS ENHANCED BY ITALIAN ART AND
ITALIAN ARTISANS
THE VERY NAME, "AMERICA," COMMEMORATES
AN ITALIAN
-10-
ALONG WITH ITALY'S CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CAME
MANY MILLIONS OF ITALIAN EMIGRANTS
AMERICA IS PROUD OF ITS
CITIZENS OF ITALIAN ORIGIN
THIS IS PERHAPS ITALY'S GREATEST
CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICA, AND WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR IT
-11-
WE AMERICANS HAVE TRIED TO RECIPROCATE BY SHOWING
THE ITALIAN PEOPLE HOW MUCH WE VALUE THEM AS FRIENDS
THIS WAS THE SPIRIT BEHIND THE MARSHALL PLAN, AND IT WAS
DEMONSTRATED AGAIN LAST MAY WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE STRUCK NORTHERN
ITALY
-lla-
THE RESPONSE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND OUR CONGRESS WAS
IMMEDIATE
WE PASSED LEGISLATION IN RECORD TIME TO HELP
EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND THEIR HOMES,
I terms WAS PROUD TO SIGN THE MEASURE and carry out The
-12-
MR. PRIME MINISTER, PRESENT CONDITIONS POSE
A SEVERE CHALLENGE TO THE INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES OF THE WEST,
MANY OF WHICH SUFFER FROM RECESSION, UNEMPLOYMENT,
INFLATION ONLA AND THE ABRUPT AND STEEP RISE IN ENERGY COSTS
-13-
AS YOU NOTED THIS MORNING, THIS IS A PARTICULARLY CHALLENG ING
TIME FOR ITALY
BUT YOUR GOVERNMENT REACTED VIGOROUSLY
AND RESOLUTELY
I AM IMPRESSED BY YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
-14-
UNDER YOUR CONTINUING STRONG LEADERSHIP
\
MR. PRIME MINISTER,
I AM CONFIDENT THAT ITALY CAN RETURN TO
BALANCED GROWTH AND ECONOMIC VITALITY
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO
ITALY;
IT IS IMPORTANT TO AMERICA
IN PART BECAUSE OF THE
VITAL INTERESTS WE SHARE AS INDUSTRIALIZED DEMOCRACIES
-15-
THE ITALIAN PEOPLE HAVE MADE CLEAR THEIR COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY
AND DEMOCRATIC METHODS
I AM EQUALLY CONVINCED THAT ITALY
WILL MAINTAIN ITS STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOALS WE
SHARE AS PARTNERS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION
A SECURE PEACE,
DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS,
AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING
FOR ALL OUR PEOPLE
-16-
MR. PRIME MINISTER,
I
KNOW THAT YOU ARE AN ADMIRER
OF THE GREAT ROMAN STATESMAN CICERO
IN HIS WORDS,
"WHEN GOOD MEN OF LIKE CHARACTER ARE JOINED IN FRIENDSHIP,
THERE WE FIND THE NOBLEST AND STRONGEST UNION
II
-17-
THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAVE HAD TODAY HAVE REINFORCED
MY CONVICTION THAT HIS WORDS APTLY DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN OUR TWO PEOPLES
-18-
IT IS WITH PLEASURE AND CONFIDENCE THAT I EXPRESS THE CONTINUED
BEST WISHES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AS WELL AS THE CONTINUED
FULL SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FOR YOUR GOVERNMENT
AND THE POLICIES IT IS FOLLOWING
-19-
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN A TOAST
TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY,
TO THE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP
BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES, AND TO OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO
PEACE,
FREEDOM AND PROGRESS FOR ALL MANKIND
END OF TEXT