Visit of President Anwar al-Sadat of Egypt Remarks on the Arrival of the Egyptian President.

PRESIDENT CARTER. It's a great pleasure for me, on behalf of the American people, and also personally, to welcome to our country Mrs. Sadat, President Sadat, and his colleagues from Egypt.

Just a month ago I spent a brief time with President Sadat in Aswan in Egypt. And in the brief time we were together, we recommitted ourselves to a continuing personal friendship and also to a common commitment for a just and a lasting peace in the Middle East.

President Sadat has won the admiration of the entire world for his courageous and innovative and historic visit to Jerusalem in the cause of peace. That trip, perhaps more than any other single event that has happened in recent Middle East history, has helped to remove the distrust and lack of communication and the psychological barriers that have divided Israel from her Arab neighbors.

During their talks in Jerusalem, President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin made a historic pledge to one another: no more war. This promise reflected the deep hope and the heartfelt and frustrated dreams of the people of Egypt and the people of Israel and others in the Middle East for peace. This is a sentiment that's also shared by the American people. It's now up to all of us, President Sadat, Prime Minister Begin, other interested leaders, and also the people of the United States, to rededicate our efforts to these goals.

We, ourselves, will spare no effort in the search for peace. I think it's accurate to say that we have the confidence of the people of Egypt and Israel, Jordan, Syria, and others, and we will not betray that trust.

Obviously, the first responsibility is for direct negotiations between the leaders involved in the Middle East. But I've committed our own country to a continuing active role in support of those negotiations for an overall peace settlement, and I want to reconfirm and recommit our Nation today.

President Sadat and I, in just a few minutes, will leave for Camp David, and there we will have an opportunity, for the next couple of days, to discuss at length the best way to maintain and even to enhance the momentum that has already been established in the search for peace. He and I will also discuss other issues of mutual interest to the United States and to Egypt, such as the dangerous situation in the Horn of Africa.

President Sadat arrives in our country today as a friend, as a statesman whose courage and devotion to peace is deeply admired by the people of the United States, and as a leader with whom it is a privilege to work in a common dedication to end the long and tragic history of conflict that has existed in the Middle East.

President Sadat, you are welcome to our country.

PRESIDENT SADAT, Dear friend President Carter, Mrs. Carter, thank you for your warm reception and sincere words. It is .always a pleasure to meet with you and to pursue our joint effort for peace. I am bringing to you and to every American heartfelt greetings from 40 million Egyptians and many other Arabs who join us in a solemn prayer for the success of our endeavor.

I came here in a continuation of my sacred mission for peace. I believe that we share a great responsibility to make life more meaningful and rewarding.

No other nation is more qualified to play this role as a contributor to world stability and prosperity. The values that are deeply ingrained in the heart and conscience of the American people can be the arbiter between right and wrong and differentiate between the just and unjust.

Like you, my dear friend, we believe in human rights and respect for the dignity of man. Like you, my dear friend, we cherish our land and sacrifice our lives to defend it against any encroachment.

Like you, my dear friend, we believe in the inherent right of self-determination for all peoples in different parts of the globe. First and foremost, we share a firm commitment to the cause of peace.

Dear friend, I am certain that you agree with me that this is the time for a concerted effort for building a solid structure for peace. We are now at a historic and crucial crossroad.

Since I undertook my mission to Jerusalem, against all odds, events have proven that the great ideal of peace is unfortunately fragile and vulnerable. We have to remedy this situation. We must fortify the structure of peace and reinforce the faith of hundreds of millions in the validity of the notion that peace is not only necessary but also possible.

We should never allow ideological rigidity or fanaticism to endanger this march on the road to peace.

My dear friend, since you assumed office, you demonstrated your genuine commitment to the cause of peace. You have been truthful and forthcoming. Your approach, which emphasized morality and legitimacy, caught the imagination of millions in the Arab world. We sincerely hope that your efforts bear fruit for the sake of all the peoples in our area.

I look forward to the talks we will have in the coming few days. I am sure they will boost the momentum for peace and give a new impetus to our search for a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli dispute.

We want to put an end to wars and bloodshed. We want every people to be free and secure within its own land. We want to create a new Middle East, where nations, including the Palestinians, live together in harmony and fraternity. We want to purge all souls of prejudice and hatred. And, God willing, we shall overcome.
Thank you, Mr. President.