 Ladies and gentlemen, I've just completed extremely useful talks with a man who embodies the essential qualities we have in mind when we mention such terms as principle, staunchness, courage, and most important, friend. I refer to the distinguished president of the Italian Republic, Sandro Pertini. President Pertini in a very real sense not only symbolizes, but indeed helps forge the close ties which bind our two peoples and countries. In our talks this morning, I made a point of reiterating to President Pertini the deep admiration which Americans feel for the constructive and courageous role Italy is increasingly playing on the world stage. Our country, of course, has special reasons for appreciating that role. We applaud Italy's consistently strong support for the Atlantic Alliance. We applaud her decision to participate actively in the search for a Middle East peace. We are deeply moved by the tireless battle she is waging against the scourge of international terrorism, a battle so recently dramatized for us with the heartlifting liberation of General Dozier by Italian security forces. Pertini's long and sometimes lonely fight against the evils of totalitarian oppression give him exceptional credentials as a man of integrity and resolution. He was among the first to speak out publicly against Soviet actions in Poland. For this reason, I welcome the chance to share his insights on a number of critical international issues, including the Polish crisis, the continuing Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and our joint determination to defeat international terrorism, the situation in Central America, and the status of the peace process in the Middle East. It's a great honor to have President Pertini with us, and I look forward to seeing him again when I visit his country in June. Ladies and gentlemen, in these moments I have had extremely useful connections with a man who personifies the essential qualities that we have in mind when we speak in terms of principle, of firmness, of courage, and perhaps more important, a friend. I refer to the President of the Italian Republic, Sandro Pertini. President Pertini, in the most true sense of the word, not only symbolizes, but also helps to forge those so tight ties that unite our two peoples and our nations. In our colloquies this morning, I have managed to reiterate to President Pertini the deep admiration that Americans feel for such a constructive, courageous role that Italy is always going to play on the global stage. Our country has special reasons to appreciate this role. We welcome, with enthusiasm, such a strong and coherent support from Italy in favor of the Atlantic Alliance. We thank and applaud its decision to actively participate in the search for peace in the Middle East. We are deeply moved by the insatiable battle that Italy is leading against the flag of international terrorism. The struggle is recently dramatized for us with such a liberating, so spirited, work of the security forces of Italy in the face of the General Dosell, of course. However, the so-called solitaire struggle of the so-called solitaire times, so long turned by President Pertini against the evil of totalitarian oppression, confers on his exceptional person as a man of integrity and resolution. After all, he was one of the first to publicly pronounce himself against the Soviet interventions in Poland. For this reason, I was enthusiastic about the possibility to share, to hear his vision, his interpretation on a whole range of international critical issues, including the crisis in Poland, the continued Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, and our determination and common decision to defeat international terrorism, the situation in Central America, and the current state of the process of peace in the Middle East. For me, it is a great honor to be able to welcome President Pertini in our midst and I see with great enthusiasm the prospect of seeing me again with him when I visit Italy in the month of June. Thank you. I am very satisfied with my meeting with President Rega, a meeting that I would wish for a long time and that I have a full response to my expectations. I am sure that we will be immediately aware that our meeting has been prepared for that cordiality and frankness that contradicts the relations between our two countries. Already before entering this journey, it had been a pity to subordinate to you journalists how sincerely we Italians share with the others Europeans, and perhaps in the end we will be able to express our gratitude for the help of the Americans in the two world wars defending the independence and freedom of our continent. How intensely we feel the need to keep the communities of our Western civilization alive, the cult of freedom, of social justice, of peace, of human rights and therefore the need to cultivate and deepen the reciprocal knowledge between the two exposes of the Atlantic. I have also remembered how between Italy and the United States there is, then, another deep bond, so sentimental and concrete, constituted by the presence in America of many citizens of Italian origin. All these reasons for a solid and strong foundation on the same ideal basis, we have re-evoked, President Rega and I, in our daily contact, which since the first moment has created between us, on the human plane, a spontaneous current of sympathy and friendship. We have also gone beyond in Rasena those economic and political topics more relevant in the present international moment that will be theillas of depth further from Secretary of State Ek and from the minister of Polish назies. Our friendly exchange profile of ideas you can continue when President Rega will restituting the visit in June to Rome. I am now impatient to continue my direct contacts with the dynamic of American reality here in Washington and in my next steps in other great cities in the United States. I will be honored to meet the generous American people I am very pleased with my meeting with President Reagan, which I have looked forward to for a long time, and which has fully met with my expectations. I was certain that we would immediately understand one another. Our talk was characterized by that cordiality and frankness which marked the relationship between our two countries. Even before leaving on this trip, I had had the opportunity to emphasize to you members of the press how sincerely we Italians share with the other Europeans, possibly to an even greater degree, the deep appreciation for the decisive help given us by the Americans during the last two world conflicts, to defend the independence and liberty of our continent, how deeply we feel the need to keep alive the common ideals of our Western civilization, a love of freedom, of social justice, of peace, of human rights, and therefore the reciprocal understanding between these two shores of the Atlantic. I have also recalled how there exists between Italy and the United States still another deep bond, as sentimental as it is real, that of the presence in America of so many citizens of Italian origin. All these reasons for a strong and lasting understanding based on common ideals have been recalled by President Reagan and me in our meeting today, a meeting which from the very beginning has engendered between us a spontaneous flow of friendship. We have also reviewed those political and economic issues most relevant to the current international climate, which will be discussed in depth by Secretary of State Hague and Foreign Minister Colombo. We will be able to continue our warm and fruitful exchange of ideas when President Reagan returns my visit in Rome next June. I'm looking forward to furthering my direct contact with the dynamic American way of life here in Washington and in my successive visits to other great cities in the United States. I will be happy to meet first hand the generous American people for whom I have deep admiration and who have moved me with the warmth of their welcome.