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Remarks to Members of the Tenth Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Conference.

May 05, 1970

Senator Mansfield, and all of our distinguished guests today:

I am very honored to welcome you here to the White House, to what is called the Rose Garden but which today is a tulip garden.

We are particularly honored that you are here on a great holiday, a day of commemoration for your country, Cinco de Mayo. When we remember the hero of that occasion, President Juarez, we remember that he and our President Lincoln lived at about the same time in the history of our respective countries. They both are remembered by those who have followed them in their countries as men who saved their countries. It is particularly appropriate that we welcome the Mexican Parliamentary delegation here on such a day.

If I could be permitted just a brief personal word, I am glad that in this delegation are so many old friends. I refer not only to those from our House and Senate, but some of those who are my friends from Mexico, including a very distinguished man, the Chairman of your foreign Relations Committee who was Foreign Minister of your country when I first knew him, Ambassador to the United States, Senator Tello.1

1 Senator Manuel Tello Barraud served as Ambassador to the United States from 1952 to 1958.

He will recall the first visit that I made to your country, then as Vice President-elect of the United States. I recall the many times that my wife and I were guests at the embassy when he was Ambassador. I mention this because this indicates the feeling of very great closeness that I personally have for the people of Mexico, not only for your governmental representatives but for our good friends.

We are geographical neighbors, but I trust also we are neighbors in the heart. I want to say finally that I feel very appreciative of the fact that Senator Mansfield and the members of our delegation have worked with Senator Aguirre and the members of your delegation in this 10th Parliamentary Conference, because as legislators meet together, we recognize that legislators are closer to the people, closer than Ambassadors and closer than other elected representatives. As our Senators and Congressmen learn to know each other and to work together, so our governments will continue to work together in friendship between our two countries.

[At this point Manuel Bernardo Aguirre Samaniego, Senator from Chihuahua, President of the Mexican Senate and leader of the Mexican delegation, addressed the delegates in Spanish. A translation of his remarks is printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 6, p. 614). The President then resumed speaking.]

Before I have to go, I would like the opportunity of shaking hands with the members of the delegation and their wives.

I think you should know that my next appointment is, significantly enough, with the members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

I can only say to you, Senator Tello, that I hope I get along as well with Senator Fulbright as I get along with you.

Note: The President spoke at 4:25 p.m. Majority Leader Mike Mansfield of Montana was Chairman of the 11-member U.S. Senate delegation. Representative Robert C. Nix of Pennsylvania was Chairman of the 13-member House delegation.

Richard Nixon, Remarks to Members of the Tenth Mexico-United States Interparliamentary Conference. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239707

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