President Asad, distinguished guests:
I join President Asad in expressing my pleasure that our two Governments are today reestablishing diplomatic relations. The American and the Syrian peoples have a long history of friendly relations, and we in America are proud to count on many persons of Syrian descent among our citizens.
We look forward now to an expansion in contacts and cooperation between the United States and Syria. President Asad and I have agreed that ambassadors will be named within 2 weeks.
In the many contacts which have taken place in recent weeks between the United States and Syrian Governments in the course of the negotiations on disengagement, each side has made clear its respect for the independence and for the sovereignty of the other. I want to reaffirm that relations between our two countries shall be based on this principle of international law. I also want to take this opportunity to express my admiration for the efforts of President Asad and his colleagues, the efforts they have undertaken in the interests of peace. The United States will work closely with Syria for the achievement of a just and lasting peace in implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 338--a peace which will bring a new era of growth and prosperity and progress in the Middle East.
The renewed contacts between our Governments and, especially, the intensive discussions leading to the agreement on the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian military forces have contributed markedly to a deeper understanding and improvement in the overall relationship between the United States and Syria and between our two peoples. President Asad and I consider this agreement a first step towards a just and lasting peace in this area.
President Asad and I have agreed our Governments will review and develop further concrete ways in which the United States and Syria can work more closely together for their mutual benefit. A senior Syrian official will visit Washington in the near future to discuss specific plans to achieve this goal. In the general context of strengthening our bilateral relations, I have affirmed that the United States is prepared to resume educational and cultural exchanges. President Asad extended an invitation to the United States to participate in the Damascus International Trade Fair next month, and I have accepted this invitation with great pleasure on behalf of the United States.
I have extended an invitation to President Asad to visit the United States at a time to be agreed, and I am delighted to announce that he has accepted this invitation.
Note: The President spoke at approximately 12:45 p.m. at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, in response to remarks by President Asad.
President Asad spoke in Arabic. His remarks were translated by an interpreter as follows:
It was a good opportunity to receive in Damascus Mr. Richard Nixon, the President of the United States of America, since his visit afforded us the opportunity to exchange views on matters concerning our bilateral relations and the Middle East issue. Many values of civilization and humanity link the American people and the Syrian-Arab people. It is natural that the American citizens of Syrian descent form one of the bridges of understanding that would pave the way for a new phase in relations between our two peoples, relations based on the mutual interests and the respect of each side for the independence and sovereignty of the other side.
We welcome the participation of the United States of America in the Damascus International Fair this year. We declare our readiness for conducting a dialog to consolidate friendship between the peoples of both countries and to establish ties of cooperation in the educational and economic fields so as to serve the interests of both sides.
The Syrian Arab Republic extends thanks to President Nixon for the constructive efforts which the United States of America exerted for reaching an agreement on the disengagement of forces on the Golan Heights. The Syrian Arab Republic declares its readiness to pursue its sincere and constructive cooperation with the Government of the United States of America for laying down the firm basis for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East region.
The agreement of the disengagement of forces and our understanding constitutes a first step towards, and an integral part of, the comprehensive, just settlement of the issue. Such a settlement cannot be reached without Israel's withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories and the securing of the national rights of the Palestinian people in conformity with our understanding of Security Council Resolution Number 338 of October 22, 1973, this understanding which we communicated to the United Nations in due time.
We are dedicating our utmost efforts for achieving a just and lasting peace in our region. We consider this peace an essential condition for the stability of international peace and security. We believe that peace in any region cannot be consolidated if the people of that region is robbed of his basic rights that are recognized under the Charter of the United Nations and its resolutions.
President Nixon and I have agreed to consolidate dialog and cooperation between our two countries for achieving a just and lasting peace in our region and in the world.
We also agreed to enhance the relations between our countries in all fields.
Finally, we have agreed that diplomatic relations between our two countries be restored as of today at the ambassadorial level.
Thank you.
Richard Nixon, Remarks About Resumption of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and Syria. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/255934
