 President Alfonzine, distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen, it's a great pleasure for me to welcome you to the White House. And I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with President Alfonzine today. Our discussions were cordial and productive. And of course today was not the first meeting that we've had. We met just before attending the United Nations General Assembly. That was in the midst of our presidential campaign last September. And I remember that you remarked that although being president is a hard job, sometimes getting there is even harder. President Alfonzine and I have much in common. We both have gone through many campaigns and asked for votes from many different kinds of people. Well-known in Texas during the 1976 primary, they had me out knocking on doors. And I remember one kind of rural area. I'd been governor of California, but I wasn't all that well-known in Texas and I knocked on the door and an old fellow in his undershirt and jeans came to the door and I told him I was running for president. And having been in the occupation I'd been in for a number of years, I was kind of surprised when he asked me what I'd done for a living. And I told him I'd been an actor and then he asked me what my name was. And I thought, well maybe if I give him a hint, so I said, well my initials were R.R. And with that a face lit up and he turned and he ran back into the house and he was yelling, ma, ma, come on out here quick. Roy Rogers is outside. But seriously though, as I mentioned at our ceremony this morning, the people of our two countries have so much in common, not the least of which is the spirit of the frontier exemplified by the Gaucho and the cowboy. More significant, however, is the bond of democracy, the love of freedom that's found in the hearts of our people. I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate President Alfonso, who is on behalf of the Argentine people accepting the International Democracy Prize from the Center for Democracy. And I can think of no finer example to others than Argentina's inspiring return to democracy. Congratulations, Mr. President. This generation of Argentinians is laying the foundation for what will be enjoyed by your fellow countrymen hundreds of years hence. And this is in keeping with the tradition of San Martin, an heroic individual, significant not only in your history but in that of the entire hemisphere. I think it's interesting to note that once San Martin was successful in freeing half a continent, he assumed the title of protector. And that perhaps captures the essence of our responsibility. Those of us who enjoy the freedom and independence passed to us by brave and noble individuals like San Martin, Washington and others, especially those of us in elected office, must be the protectors of liberty. This is our trust, our obligation. San Martin once said, you will be what you must be if not you are nothing. President Alfonso and you've already demonstrated to your countrymen and to all the world that you are willing to live up to the enormous trust that you hold in your hands. I look forward to working closely with you in the years ahead. I salute you. And I ask all of you to join me in a toast to President Alfonso, Mrs. Alfonso and the free people of Argentina. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, we have just completed an intense day of fringes, cordiales and mutually enriching consultations. El éxito de esta jornada, marcada desde el comienzo por la excepcional hospitalidad norteamericana, mucho se debe precisamente a su calidad, señora. Así como al clima a la vez informal y amistoso que supo usted, señor Presidente, imprimir a nuestros encuentros. Vaya por ello el especial reconocimiento de mi esposa, de mis amigos y muy particularmente mi sincero agradecimiento a ambos. Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, ladies and gentlemen, we have ended the day of intense fringes, cordiales and mutually enriching consultations. The success of this day characterized from the beginning by exceptional American hospitality is due in great part to your warmth, Mrs. Reagan, as well as to the informal and friendly atmosphere that you, Mr. President, imparted to our meetings. My wife and my friends are sincerely grateful for this hospitality and I sincerely thank both of you. By addressing various aspects of the international reality, we have proven that there are, among us, broad points of convergence. As I imagine, the relationship between Washington and Buenos Aires is, as I said at the beginning, and I want to reiterate it, that we assume the defense of our respective national interests from a perspective of cooperation, of previsibility and of mutual sincerity. In discussing the different aspects of international affairs, we have discovered that there are a few differences in our analysis that should never surprise us, nor alarm us. As I imagine it, the relationship between Washington and Buenos Aires presupposes, and I said that when I arrived, that we assume the defense of our respective national interests from a perspective of cooperation, of foresight and mutual sincerity. It seems to me that, as a general framework that we explore with a certain audacity, with imagination and with good will, the profiles of a realistic and lasting relationship between Latin America and the United States. Señor President, en su discurso inaugural, el último, quiero decir, una sugestiva evocación de la revolucionaria ruptura de los Estados Unidos, con el pasado, me conmovió. Y cito, por primera vez en la historia el pueblo dijo, el gobierno no es nuestro amo, sino nuestro sirviente. Y el único poder del gobierno será el que nosotros, el pueblo, le permitamos tener. Mr. President, en tu last inaugural adres, I was moved by a suggestive evocation you made of the revolutionary past of the United States, and I quote you. For the first time in history, they said, government is not our master, but rather our servant. And the only power of government, the government will be that which we, the people, allow it to have. ¿Cómo no vincular esas palabras con uno de los fundamentos de la acción más reciente de las fuerzas democráticas en Argentina para restablecer la soberanía popular? How can we not link these words to the basic grounds that explain what the forces of democracy have in Argentina? ¿Cómo podrían no entenderse, entonces, en lo fundamental, dos pueblos y dos gobiernos cuyas convicciones se nutren de tales principios? Why should two peoples whose convictions are nourished by certain principles not be able to understand one another in fundamental matters? Pero en nuestro ámbito creemos haber hecho una eficaz contribución a la distensión en el cono sur al resolver pacíficamente el centenario diferente que manteníamos con Chile. And I'm also aware of the fact that you and I share an intense concern about peace in the world. Of course, no doubt our responsibilities are different. But in our area we've made, I think, a great contribution to peace because in the southern corner we've settled peacefully a century-old dispute with Chile. De todos los aquí reunidos, lo hago teniendo especialmente presente al pueblo de los Estados Unidos. A ese pueblo vaya entonces también nuestro emocionado saludo. A ese pueblo arquitecto de una civilización donde los logros materiales han estado siempre fundados en una gran fuerza espiritual. Mr. President, Mrs. Reagan, as I toast for your personal well-being and that of all of you here tonight, I do so having specially in mind the American people. To your people, we also offer this deeply felt tribute. They are a people who are the architects of the civilization where material achievements have always been united to a great spiritual force. Thank you very much. Salud. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Pete Fountain. Well, all of you alligators, for the younger set in the crowd that comes from a ways back. The Pete Fountain and these wonderful musicians up here, he started playing when he was just a lad on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. That's there, Pennsylvania Avenue. And I've got news for you. I don't know whether you're thinking about traveling or going any distance away, but I'm introducing an executive order in the morning. We're renaming Pennsylvania Avenue Bourbon Street. We can't tell you how grateful we are. I think I speak for everyone here for what we have just heard. Just maybe. Thank you.