 Madam Chirac, Mr. Foreign Minister and honored guests and ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the White House. And if this had been 24 hours earlier, I was going to say, and if I may, welcome to this splendid spring evening. Well, we've spoken today of the challenges that confront our two great nations. This evening, Nancy and I would like to invite you to relax. Mr. Prime Minister, Madam Chirac, you'll always be welcome friends in this house. And by the way, I hope you all enjoyed this evening's dinner wine. You see, it was produced in California as part of a joint French American venture. But no one can live in this house for long without feeling the vibrant spirit of our French and American forebears. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin of Lafayette and Rochambeau. And I just have to believe they'd be proud to know that the common commitment to freedom that served as the foundation of our friendship so long ago remains alive in the White House tonight. But even as we look to the legendary figures of the past, we look as well to the major French and American figures of the present. And certainly there are many here tonight, many who personify the bonds between us in diplomacy, in culture and commerce, in entertainment and science. Just recently, we reached an important agreement regarding AIDS research, an agreement recognizing that French and American scientists stand together in the forefront of the battle against this tragic disease. To everyone, all of our imminent guests, welcome. This evening too, Nancy and I cannot help but recall our own travels to France during these last six years. I remember especially meeting with my summit colleagues in the halls and gardens of the Palace of Versailles, that place of immense beauty so alive with the history of France. And we remember standing on the beaches of Normandy, with the channel waters behind and the cliffs above, thinking of the men who fought and died on that terrible day nearly 43 years ago, when the fate of the free world hung in the balance, the men who fought and died for freedom. As is only befitting with close friends, Mr. Prime Minister, our discussions were frank and constructive. We covered east-west issues, arms control, the struggle against terrorism, regional conflicts, a broad agenda. We discussed our differences on trade issues and how to narrow those differences in ways that would advance the economic well-being of our peoples. I know that you continued those discussions through the day with Secretary Schulz, Secretary Weinberger and Secretary Baker, and that tomorrow you will meet with Vice President Bush. As always, our discussions were able to take almost for granted certain shared values. Yet these values, liberty, democracy, the dignity of each individual, these values are sacred. And nowhere are they more important or more in evidence today than in the strength of the Atlantic Alliance and in the unshakable commitment of the United States to share in the defense of Europe. So it is that even as we seek to negotiate arms control and other agreements with the Soviet Union, we'll continue to consult closely with our European allies. Our message is clear. To friend and foe alike, America stands with Europe. Permit me now to invite you all to join me in raising a glass in friendship. To France and to our honored guests, Prime Minister Chirac and Madam Chirac. Mr President, Madam, ladies and gentlemen, my wife and I are deeply touched by the President's welcome that you have reserved for us and this magnificent evening that crowns the day that we come to Washington under the sign of friendship, this warm reception that is associated in this famous and superb honor of Americans and French men and women of the world of art, science, and politics. I hold, Madam, to thank you all in particular because I know that the personal attention you have brought. Know how much we feel the elegance, the warmth and the friendship. I would also like to say to you, Mr President, how happy we are to be here with you tonight with you who have reconciled America with itself. Give him confidence and hope. In short, give his strength to the American dream. And you know the esteem, friendship and also the affection that you bring to the peoples of Europe, and in particular the French people. By arriving this morning, I have held to deliver this message to you from the heart. France is more than an ally. It is a faithful friend. America, who sometimes believes in unloved, does not always measure the intensity of the feelings that the French people bring to him. These feelings have not only been teased through the common trials, through which we have always found each other. These feelings are not only about the fact that we share the same values of freedom. These feelings are more than ever living, because spontaneously we ask the same questions that we face in the same challenge, and that we feel a common will to overcome them. And I find the same question that America is asking herself, the same will to go forward, to face the future, to triumph over the doubt that I have known when I was a young student here, 30 years ago. But I would also like to point out how much France, within the alliance of Western democracies, is in Europe, a solid partner that the United States can count on. This solidity owes it to the deep agreement of the whole of its people on the principles that govern its foreign policy and its national defense. The principle defined 30 years ago by General De Gaulle is that all French governments, without exception, have followed since then. No other European country benefits from such a consensus on the great lines of foreign policy, the respect of the national independence alliances present in the world. In Europe, France is in favor of the development of unity in respect of diversity. In Africa, it fights the attempts of destabilization. In Latin America, it supports the struggle of democracy against dictatorship. In the Middle East, it wants to dialogue with everyone to better search for the ways of peace. In the Middle East, it wants to contribute to harmony and to the stability of the region. Finally, France wants that a greater generosity of rich countries can avoid the growth of poverty and poverty in a large number of countries. It wants to pursue a tenacious action in this sense. No other European country knows such a consensus in favor of the development and modernization of its defense apparatus, and in particular of a force of nuclear dissuasion that allows it to be respected in all circumstances, its independence and its freedom. Finally, how can we not congratulate the unanimous agreement of the French people on the rise of terrorism and remain in solidarity and determination? But the message I am bringing to you today, Mr. President, is also the one of a new France, instilled by the lessons of the economic crisis and who, apart from the past schematics, have decided to undertake a deep mutation and to change one of its secular habits to better face the demands of the future. For a thousand years, the monarchy has forged the unity of France at the price of a necessary centralization pursued by the French revolutions and by the Empire as the foreman analysed by Alexis de Tocqueville, whom you mentioned earlier. In a country where, during centuries, everything has proceeded from power, it is a true revolution, one that today consists of giving back to the private sector the companies that had been nationalized, that of leaving to individual initiatives the means of audiovisual again between the hands of the state, that of abolishing the regulations that enthralled the efficiency of the economy, that of transferring a large number of responsibilities to local collectivities. I was appointed as Prime Minister a year ago by Mr. François Mitterrand, President of the French Republic. The government that I run has received the mission of the French people to free the energies of our country, to let free costs to these faculties of initiative and creation that have always been expressed in the field of arts and that must be revealed today in the economy and in the company. Fidel, solid, open to the world, here I am, Mr. President of France, visiting you. And I raise my glass in honour of President Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, of Mrs. Nancy Reagan, to whom I present my respectful tribute, to the future of friendship and cooperation between France and the United States. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Madam. Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, my wife and I are extremely touched by the warmth of your welcome, as we are by this beautiful reception which marks the end of a day we have just spent under the sign of friendship in this city of Washington. I wish to expend special thanks for this warm reception which brings together in this famous and beautiful house men and women of America and France from the worlds of the arts of science and of politics. And these thanks go to you, Mrs. Reagan, especially because I know the personal part you have played in preparing this reception and let me say how much we appreciate the elegance, the warmth and the friendship of it all. And let me tell you also, Mr. President, how happy we are to be with you here tonight with a man who has managed to reconcile America with itself, to restore its self-confidence, and to give it the chance to hope anew. In other words, to restore the vigor of the American dream. And you know what I regard friendship and yes, you need affection. Europeans and the people of France in particular have for you, sir. When I arrived here this morning, what I said came from the heart. France is more than an ally. France is a faithful friend. America is sometimes convinced that she is insufficiently loved and does not always, however, set sufficient store by the intensity of France's feelings for America. These feelings are not only the result of the trials we have always borne side by side. They are not solely due to the fact that we share the same values, liberty. Today, these ties are stronger than ever before because we naturally ask ourselves the same questions, because we have to meet the same challenges, and because we share a common will precisely to do so. I'm rediscovering the same self-questioning spirit, the same will to go forward, to face the future with open eyes to make hope triumph over doubt, which I first experienced 30 years ago when I visited your country as a student. I also want to emphasize how much France and the Alliance of Western Democracies is indeed a strong European partner that the United States can rely upon, and this strength is due to the deep commitment of the whole of the people of my country to the principles that govern our foreign policy and our national security. These principles are those which General de Gaulle defined 30 years ago, and all of the governments of France, since then without fail, have abided by them. In no other European country is there such a large consensus on the main lines of foreign policy, respect for existing alliances, national independence, and being present in world affairs. In Europe, France is working both for the development of unity and respect at the same time for diversity. In Africa, she is fighting attempts at destabilization. In Latin America, defending democracy against dictatorship in the Middle East, she wishes to engage in dialogue with all parties concerned, so as better to explore the paths of peace. In the Pacific, she wishes to enhance the region's harmony and stability. And finally, France verently hopes that the rich countries of the world, through greater generosity, will be able to prevent a larger number of countries from sinking even deeper into debt and experiencing even worse poverty. And France intends to work steadfastly towards the attainment of this goal. In no other European country is there such a consensus in favor of development and modernization of defense capabilities, and more particularly in favor of a nuclear deterrent that guarantees respect for national independence and liberty in all circumstances. And finally, one cannot forget the French people's unanimous agreement not to give in to terrorist blackmail and remain in adversity one and determined. But, Mr. President, the message which I bear today is also that of a new France which has learnt the lessons of economic crisis and has decided to turn its back on outdated remedies and patterns and to undertake deep change modifying century-old habits in order better to meet the requirements of tomorrow. Over the last thousand years, Monarchy has shaped France's identity and the price of this was a necessary process of centralization which under the Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire were indeed consolidated. And as you were mentioning yourself, Mr. President, to me, Alexis de Tocqueville quite aptly remarked in a country where for centuries at end everything was handed down by the top-of-the-power structure, things had to change and indeed an actual revolution is today underway in which hitherto nationalized companies are being handed back to the private sector in which the audiovisual media still under state control are being given over to private initiative in which regulations that long stifled the economy's efficiency are being eliminated in which an increasing number of responsibilities are being transferred to local authorities. Now, a year ago François Mitterrand, President of the French Republic appointed me Prime Minister. The people of France have entrusted to my government the mission to release the energies of our country and to give free rein to its creativity and can-do spirit which have traditionally found an outlet in the arts in which must today show their mettle in economy, business and industry. Loyal, strong, open to the world around it Mr. President, such is the France that is visiting you today. I wish to raise my glass in honor of Mr. Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America which is Nancy Reagan whom I present my most respectful regards for the future of friendship and cooperation between France and the United States. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you Mrs. Reagan. I sat in my dressing room last night and watched a portion of the Academy Awards show and it was really very, very nice to see two pals online when finally the coveted Oscar won over due Mr. Paul Newman was thrilled for him and a very dear friend that I met in the early 60s the song comes from the motion picture that he starred in and was as well nominated for an Academy Award in my opinion of which I do respect should have won it but he got it last night his name is Michael Cain and this song is What's it all about? Alfie just for the moment What's it all about? When you started out Alfie are we meant to take more are we meant to be kind if only fools are kind and I guess it is wise to be cruel and if you love do the strong Alfie what we lend thank you very, very much before we go further there are three things that are extremely important to an entertainer in any form of the word entertainment they do happen to be the place that they are performing the people for whom they are performing and we refer to these incredible musicians sharing the stage with me simply as the White House strings if you please we are also going to take this time to introduce to you some folk that travel around this world with me and I do deem them all extremely special looked inside my fantasies and made each one come true something no one else had ever found the way to I've kept the memories one by one since you took me in and I know this will gain reaching back for yesterday and remember just how good it's been and I know it's on behalf of my dear friends who made it all possible Gladys Knight Carol Bear Sager Bert Backrack and myself we thank you all for believing that's what friends are for and I never thought I'd feel this way and as far as I'm concerned I'm glad I got the chance to say that I do believe I should ever go well then close your eyes and try to feel the way we do you can but to keep smiling keep shining knowing you can always count for sure good times for better I see and so by the way I thank you and then for the times when we will just close your eyes and know these words are coming keep shining knowing you can always count that's what friends keep smiling keep shining knowing you can always count and for bad time so keep smiling and count on me for sure you see that's what friends are for oh boy keep smiling thank you so very very much we heard a description of the hardships that Dionne Warwick made to come here tonight I think there's one thing she didn't tell you I have a feeling that she also came here against the advice of her doctor and I think that was pretty heroic it was typical of a performance she started on a peak and went up from there I have note here because I didn't want to make any mistakes on this a career that after two decades has seen hit after hit walk on by anyone who had a heart do you know the way to San Jose and now what she closed with her current hit features lovely melody as we know fun lyrics and meaningful lyrics of that's what friends are for and her generosity is also akin to her talent and ability because the proceeds of this last are being donated to the American foundation for AIDS research the prime minister and Madame Warwick will allow me I think that what she shared with us tonight is best described in your language Schwadiviv thank you very much thank all of you for the sacrifice you've made for being here