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OCR Page 1 of 22This Copy For
PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON'S NEWS CONFERENCE #3
Held in the East Room
At the White House
Washington, D. C.
March 4, 1969
At 9:00 P.M. EST (Tuesday)
Official White House Transcript
THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know, the
purpose of this unusually long Press Conference is to report
to the American people on my trip to Europe.
Because I realize that there will probably be a number
of questions, some of which may require some rather lengthy
answers, I am going to make my opening statement quite brief.
A word about the purpose and also the limitations of a
trip like this: I believe all of us in this room have no
illusions about the limits of personal diplomacy in settling
great differences and great general difficulties. A smile
or handshake or an exchange of toasts or gifts or visits will
not by themselves have effect where vital interests are
concerned and where there are great differences.
On the other hand, I have learned that there is an intangible
factor which does affect the relations between nations. I think
it was perhaps best described by two of our visitors, those
with whom I was talking. One was in the case of Prime Minister
Wilson. He used the term "mutual trust" when he welcomed me.
The other, President de Gaulle, when he came to the American
Embassy, used the term "confiance" -- trust.
When there is trust between men who are leaders of nations,
there is a better chance to settle differences than when there
is not trust. I think that one of the accomplishments of this
trip is that we have established between the United States of
America and the major nations of Europe -- and I trust, other
nations of Europe, as well -- a new relationship of trust and
confidence that did not exist before.