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1253135
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1/13/77 - Remarks at the Diplomatic Corps Reception Honoring Secretary of State and Mrs. Henry A. Kissinger
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1253135
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document
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1/13/77 - Remarks at the Diplomatic Corps Reception Honoring Secretary of State and Mrs. Henry A. Kissinger
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Speeches, addresses, etc.
International relations
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1253135
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13
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1977-01-13
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1977
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13
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1977-01-13
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1977
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The original documents are located in Box 42, "1/13/77 - Remarks at the Diplomatic Corps
Reception Honoring Secretary of State and Mrs. Henry A. Kissinger" 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 PRESIDER. 10.1 SEEN....
DIPLOMATIC CORPS RECEPTION HONORING
SECRETARY AND MRS. HENRY A. KISSINGER
JANUARY 13, 1977
MR. AMBASSADOR
(SEVILLA SACASA)
MR. VICE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY KISSINGER
MR. SECRETARY GENERAL
(ORFILA)
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN
THIS FAREWELL RECEPTION IN HONOR OF MY CLOSE AND GOOD FRIEND
HENRY KISSINGER.
-2-
THERE ARE GREAT TASKS BEFORE THIS COUNTRY IN HELP ING
TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD
WHILE I WILL NOT SUGGEST WHAT
MIGHT HAVE BEEN, HENRY'S LEGACY PROVIDES RICH TESTIMONY
TO HIS WISDOM AND BRILLIANCE IN WORKING TOWARD SOLUTIONS
TO SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEMS IN POST WAR HISTORY®
-3-
THE UNITED STATES
AND THE WORLD
IS GREATLY IN HIS DEBT
I BELIEVE I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY TO SECRETARY
KISSINGER THAT WE HAVE BEEN HONORED BY OUR ASSOCIATION WITH
HIM,
\
IMPRESSED BY HIS INTELLECT AND HIS INSIGHT, AND THANKFUL
FOR HIS MIGHTY EFFORTS IN THE CAUSE OF PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND
-4-
HE IS, so FAR AS THIS AMERICAN IS CONCERNED, THE
GREATEST SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR REPUBLIC
HIS RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENTS IS UNSURPASSED
TO MENTION
ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES:
-- THE AGREEMENT THAT BROUGHT OUR MEN HOME FROM
VIETNAM;
-5-
-- THE HISTORIC BEGINNING OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA;
-- THE FOUNDATION AND FIRST BUILDING BLOCKS OF
STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATION;
-- THE TURNING POINT IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF THE
MIDDLE EAST; AND THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD PEACE;
-6-
-- THE BREAKTHROUGH TOWARDS PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT
IN SOUTHERN AFRICA;
-- THE CLOSEST FRIENDSHIPS AMONG THE NORTH ATLANTIC
ALLIES IN A GENERATION;
-7-
-- THE LINKING OF JAPAN, OUR PERMANENT FRIEND,
-
INTO THE COMMUNITY OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACIES;
-- THE NEW DIALOGUE WITH LATIN AMERICA;
-8-
-- THE SEVENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE U.N.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY, A MILESTONE IN THE WORLD'S ECONOMIC
HISTORY
-9-
IN EVERY CASE SECRETARY KISSINGER HAS WORKED MIGHTILY
FOR PEACE; AND IN EVERY CASE THE CAUSE OF PEACE HAS BEEN
ADVANCED
HE HAS LED THE WAY IN AWAKENING THE
INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD TO THE CHANGES THAT MUST BE MADE IF THE
POOR OF THE WORLD ARE TO KNOW HOPE AND PROSPERITY
-10-
HE HAS BEEN THE ARCHITECT OF A NEW AND PRODUCTIVE
RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR ADVERSARIES
HIS IS A RECORD OF
UNPRECEDENTED SCOPE AND ENORMOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT;
IT IS A RECORD IN WHICH ALL AMERICANS TAKE PRIDE;
IT IS A RECORD WORTHY OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION.
-11-
IT IS MY PARTICULAR PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE
SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO THIS GREAT AMERICAN THIS EVENING
BEFORE THIS DISTINGUISHED AND MOST APPROPRIATE AUDIENCE
-12-
MR. SECRETARY, IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TONIGHT
TO AWARD YOU, ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION,
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN
AWARD IT IS WITHIN MY POWER TO GRANT
-13-
I MAKE THIS AWARD NOT ONLY IN RECOGNITION OF THE MONUMENTAL
CONTRIBUTIONS YOU HAVE MADE TO THE SECURITY,
PEACE AND
FREEDOM OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT IN RECOGNITION, AS WELL,
OF THE FACT THAT DURING THE DARK DAYS IN OUR RECENT PAST YOU
SHOWED THE WORLD WHAT WE WERE CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING AND
GAVE YOUR COUNTRYMEN A REASON TO BE PROUD OF THEIR NATION
-14-
I MAKE THIS AWARD IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS,
"
BECAUSE, IN THE BROADEST SENSE, WHAT YOU DID FOR AMERICA
YOU DID FOR ALL MANKIND
AND NOW, FOR THE CITATION: