Toasts of the President and President Sadat of Egypt at a Dinner Honoring President Ford

Mr. President, Mrs. Sadat, ladies and gentlemen:

First, may I express on behalf of my wife, Betty, and all the ladies that she represents in the United States, and on behalf of myself as well as my countrymen, your thoughtfulness for the wonderful recognition that you have given to us and to those we represent. We in the United States are most grateful for these wonderful awards, and I can't express deeply enough our personal appreciation for your thoughtfulness.

Obviously it is very difficult, Mr. President, to match your eloquence in the circumstances here this evening. I want to express as best I can the appreciation that all of 'us have for your visit to the United States. You have in this audience here this evening many outstanding Members of the legislative branch, Members of the House and Senate, leaders, individuals who you have met and I hope you will get better acquainted with, so that they can have an opportunity of getting to know you as I have from our first meeting in Salzburg. Because I am convinced that they will share with me, once that acquaintanceship begins and develops, the strength and the statesmanship that you have exhibited in the Middle East during a most trying and a very difficult time.

So, as you meet my former colleagues, the Members of the legislative branch of the Government of the United States, I am sure that you will learn of their importance and their significance in the development of our friendship between your Government as well as ours.

Your hospitality this evening, Mr. President, is almost overwhelming, not only for Mrs. Ford and myself but all of our guests--your guests, I should say.

Your historic visit to this country, and it is historic, will lead, I am certain, as you travel from here to New York, to Chicago, to Houston, to Florida, to a breadth of understanding between not only yourself and our people but between your people as well as ours.

I think this opportunity for you to be here and to travel is unique in that they find in you a leader in the Middle East who has not only had the statesmanship to strive for peace but the leadership to achieve and accomplish peace, and to broaden and to deepen it, not only on behalf of your people but all of the Arab people.

We feel that your presence here in the Capital of the United States is of a special significance. We were delighted to have you in the White House last night with Mrs. Sadat. And I know the Secretary hosted some outstanding American citizens, including Members of the legislature, with you as his principal guest today, which gave to them, as I have had the opportunity, to see and to hear the breadth and strength of your leadership in the Middle East.

I can assure you that we in the United States cherish and will further the same ideals in the future that we have in the past. And we are pleased to know that those are likewise the same ideals and aims and ambitions that you have for your people in your country.

It seems to me that as we work together--and we do have the need and necessity to do that--we can convince others in the Middle East that progress is essential not only in that area--a stalemate and stagnation cannot be condoned--that it is in the best interest of Egypt and Israel, the United States, and all Middle Eastern countries. And I can assure you, Mr. President, that the American people will work with you and seek to achieve with you the aims of your people and yourself for the kind of a peace on a broad, firm, equitable, secure basis that is in the dreams of people in all of the Middle East.

Let me conclude, Mr. President, that Mrs. Ford and I have been delighted to have the opportunity to get better acquainted. And let me add in closing that I have instructed our Secretary of State to continue to explore every possibility to continue the diplomatic successes that were achieved in recent months.

I know that he will continue to work with the Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Fahmy. They have been a good team in the step-by-step process that was essential to keep the momentum going. Both are seasoned, tireless, effective, dedicated diplomats that have and will contribute to the success in the future.

Let me simply conclude by saying that we are honored to have you in America, with Mrs. Sadat, and let me say that it is a pleasure and a privilege for me to offer a toast to you and the people that you represent, the great people of the Government of Israel--Egypt, excuse me.