 The President of the United States and Mrs. Reagan. Ladies and gentlemen, the national anthems of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United States of America. Mr. President, Begum Zia, it's a great pleasure for Nancy and me to welcome you to Washington today. Your visit to the United States this week both symbolizes and strengthens the close ties which exist between our two countries. As you will rise today, we'll draw our peoples ever closer. It's vital that those nations commit this is the century of great awakenings in all parts of the globe. And it depends entirely on the leaders of the world, whether mankind will awaken to the horrors of darkness or to a glorious dawn. Well, his words ring true even now. Pakistan will long be remembered. We're proud to stand with you, Mr. President, helping to provide for this tragedy realized in improvement of their lives. Similarly, Pakistan's positive response to peace efforts in the Middle East have contributed to our confidence that our two countries can work together to stand's cooperation in confronting these perplexing problems. We believe that the program of economic and security assistance on behalf of peace and amity of nations. The United States-Pakistani friendship, which stretches back over 30 years, has been tested by time and change. It is endured, and because of the substantial agreement between us on the great issues of peace, development, and security, it grows stronger daily. Underlying our ties, however, is something which is cherished possession. When you leave us and leave the United States next week, Mr. President, we want you to return home secure in the knowledge that the Amerand. Mr. President, Begum Zia, welcome to the United States. Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen. Wassalaatu was-salaam ala khatim an-naveen. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessing and peace be upon the seal, the warmth with which we have been received, and for the generous hospitality that has already been extended to me, my wife, and the members of my delegation since we arrived in your great country. Mr. President, I am no serious for me. Perhaps this is because of the perpetual freshness, the vibrant dynamism, and the ceaseless, I take it as one of my, as a visit of, a great importance, for renewal and reaffirmation. Renewal of a friendship that has traversed many ups and downs, Mr. President, West and Southwest Asia, from the eastern Mediterraneanity of the countries of this region. This in turn threatens to undermine the whole structure of the international relations upon which the peace of the world ultimately rests. Mr. President, sir, Pakistan's continued commitment found us. Mr. President, nor have we in fact escaped their consequences. The responsibility for providing refuge and a safe haven for nearly three million fleeing the repression in Afghanistan has been shouldered by our people as a humanitarian duty and the spirit of Islamic brotherhood. Nevertheless, the burdens are there, especially for a developing country like Pakistan. But at the same time, I must emphasize that we have borne these burdens ungrudgingly and we will continue to do so, inshallah. We are conscious of the security implications of the great defeat. It was a result of our common concern that our two governments decided on a program to enhance Pakistan's potential to enroll in the region. Mr. President, sir, it's our consistent endeavor to find equitable and humane solutions to the conflicts in our region. This task and by the very can, I'm looking forward to our talks later this morning. We'll bear fruit. Indeed, Mr. President, boring your own words, it would be in the fitness of the things for me to conclude by saying, sir, that you and I have a rendezvous with destiny. I thank you. Emotion, I think, comes in when you like to put before such an august audience because you are being Afghanistan, sir, from 10,000 miles away. I will try and give you a bird's eye view from just 200 miles across the border where we stand today, trying to stop the Russian onslaught, as I always call it. You must have heard, Mr. President, a number of things about Afghanistan, but I will just touch on four aspects very briefly. Why have the Russians come into Afghanistan? I'm sure it must have been debated, analyzed, and eventually some results are moved in. My own analysis and from my own analysis it shows Russia moved into Afghanistan