Letter to Mr. Jean Monnet on His 90th Birthday

To Jean Monnet

I salute you on your 90th birthday-an occasion for celebration on both sides of the Atlantic. For many decades you have been one of the world's foremost leaders in helping to create the foundation of a united Europe. Your goals have always been world peace, equality among peoples, economic prosperity and, most important, uniting individuals on the basis of common interests and mutual respect.

Much of your dream has already come true: The European Coal and Steel Community, Euratom, and the European Economic Community have brought nations and peoples of Western Europe closer together than ever before in cooperative effort. I am proud that the United States has consistently supported these moves toward European unity. Your hope that the United Kingdom would join the European Community has come to pass, and we now hope that direct elections to the European Parliament will involve Western European peoples ever more directly in the Community's development.

I wish to express my deep admiration for your unique and vital contribution in creating this increasingly united Europe. And I want to underscore your special achievement in fostering the enduring relationship between the United States and Western Europe.

As Europe moves toward new forms of unity, you can count on the United States to maintain and strengthen that relationship. The stronger and more united Western Europe becomes, the more opportunities for effective partnership open up between all the main industrial regions. The Summit meetings in which Europe, Japan, and North America come together to concert their economic policies are, in a very real sense, a tribute to you. I hope that we will now be as ingenious in finding new ways to improve this intercontinental cooperation as you were in promoting unity in Europe.

Few men have left such a profound impact on their time. Few have been so innovative in creating institutions which strengthen peace and prosperity.

Your profound knowledge of the United States, combined with your energy, vision, and deep commitments, make you a true Atlantic, as well as European, statesman. On behalf of the American people and government, I salute you.

JIMMY CARTER

[Mr. Jean Monnet, Houjarray, par Monfort l'Amaury, Seine]