 I'm happy to see you again. I am too, and I've come to the end of my French. We will both make progress together. All right. In English and you in French. Yes. Ambassador. Mr. José. I'm French interpreter. Well. Yes. Mr. Sirene. Mr. Sirene. Mr. Sirene. I don't know what you're going to say about that. I'm never worried, do it. Give me the other one. And this is the President's private office. Yes. You have much to talk about today, Mr. President. Yes. There will be but no questions. No questions. Yes, this President Ford is in his library and museum now. It has been created. The museum is in town. It has an exact location. Yes. I've been out there for the opening. I was almost turned around. I was afraid I was going to have to go to work. It's exactly the same size. Yes, it's exact. It's a very interesting foundation. Yes. It's a very popular foundation in France. President Ford was well liked. I say he's well liked. Yes, he's also liked. It's just that when the moment comes, when we get there, we go away. It's the end of all. But there comes a time when you come into office, there comes a time when you leave office. It's the fate of everybody. Well, if you walk out of your office, you must admit to this office when being a retired president. And in Europe, at least it's so easy to organize in time so that we have that happy atmosphere. Yes, it's sometimes on the schedule, it gets so heavy that you don't think you've got time to be president. And I have come to add to your business schedule. Not at all. I've been looking forward to this. We always see ourselves in too many official meetings. And it stops. I made a joke that the other day, but not as expected. To defend the Americans against recolonization, it is remembered. We should always write our history ourselves. This has been a very unusual friend-to-friend meeting, and one for which I'm very grateful. President Mitterrand and I have had a very productive day. In the Oval Office and during our working lunch, we covered a very broad range of subjects, which naturally included our preparations for two major summit meetings in June. President Mitterrand will host this year's Economic Summit in Versailles, and we are, along with the other participants, committed to a conference which will help the industrial democracies deal more effectively with today's economic challenges. With that in mind, I look forward with special pleasure to my visit to France, America's oldest ally. We also touched on the Atlantic Alliance Summit and the need to demonstrate Allied unity and resolve in response to Soviet expansionist pressures. I will attend that summit in Bonn with the greatest of interest and commitment. As I indicated a moment ago, our talks were comprehensive. Since President Mitterrand has just returned from Israel, I was particularly interested in his assessment of the peace process in the Middle East. Regarding Central America, I believe that President Mitterrand now has a better understanding of United States policy objectives in that troubled region. Our discussion on this subject was particularly candid and thorough. President Mitterrand shares my concern that the failure to promote the evolution of democratic government in this region would have the most serious consequences. The principles and goals that we share suggest that we will be able to work together on this problem in the months ahead. President Mitterrand shares my concern that if we do not promote the evolution of democratic government in this region, it would have the most serious consequences. The principles and goals that we share suggest that we will be able to work together on this problem in the months ahead. Our exchange of views on the economic concerns of our two countries was equally frank and productive. President Mitterrand made a forceful and thorough presentation of his government's views on outstanding trade and financial issues. While it would be impossible to resolve our economic differences in one day, I think we've made tangible progress toward better communications on these important issues. And now, let me just repeat, my personal thanks to President Mitterrand for coming to Washington. Ladies and gentlemen, my first words will be to thank Mr. President Reagan for the reserve welcome to Washington and for the support he has given to the United States and the United States. Thank you very much. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the first thing that I would like to say is to thank President Reagan for the welcome extended here in Washington to the President of the French Republic. I would like to thank Mr. President Mitterrand for the support he has given to the United States and for the support he has given to the United States. Thank you. Well, the welcome extended to us was, as is in the very nature of things, of course, both, well, friendly, open, and frank. We were able to talk about a number of problems. Some of them had been prepared, of course, by the continuous exchanges which exist among our ministers, our embassies, and representatives of all kinds. But direct talks such as these, after I have recently had opportunities of meeting a number of European political leaders and following my recent visit to Israel and in the light of the events that take place each day in Europe, in Africa, in Latin America, well, because of all these reasons, it was natural that our talks today were brought to bear on a number of very topical problems and indeed such talks are in themselves very fruitful. The first reason for this meeting and my trip to the United States was to prepare in a precise way the meeting said at the top of industrialized countries which will take place in Versailles in France at the beginning of June next month. This meeting will, of course, examine the economic, monetary, financial situation that our countries must face today and our duty is to seek to harmonize enough our goals so that we help each other, rather than to bother ourselves. At this point, I was able to observe that this was a common concern. And indeed this certainly fully justified making this trip now the prime reason for my visit to the United States was to prepare in more specific terms the so-called summit of the industrialized nations which will be meeting in Versailles in France at the beginning of June. And the conference will be an opportunity of considering the economic, monetary, and financial problems that our countries have to face. And the purpose of the exercise being that we should harmonize our goals so as to be able to lend each other mutual assistance and not hindrance. And it is clear that in that we see very much eye to eye. We will follow the first one in a few days. It is the one that will take place in Bonn and that will meet the countries of the Atlantic Alliance. This has, of course, led us to address the problems of the East-West, and particularly the state of relations with the Soviet Union. We need to represent a force to end negotiations. In short, the search for peace in the affirmation of our rights and of the rights of the peoples, particularly of Europe. Then we talked of the other summit meeting that will take place a few days afterwards in Bonn, which will be the summit meeting of the Atlantic Alliance. And so, naturally, that led us to discuss East-West problems and, in particular, the relationship with the Soviet Union. And the need to demonstrate our force so as to be able to further the possibility of negotiations and so as to be able to work towards peace while asserting our rights and the rights of the peoples of the world and, in particular, of Europe. That our first duty was to fight against misery, exploitation and the domination of always bloody dictators. And as it has just been said, the search for difficult ways to find but on which we must and we will engage in a democratic government such as the common point on which we have been able to approach the point of view. And as President Reagan has just said, we also talked about Central America. And I repeated what I have often stated in France and in Europe, that our first duty is to fight against poverty and the exploitation of human beings and the domination on the part of bloody dictatorships. And, as has just been said, the search for the we must work in order to find the way of furthering, and this is not always an easy path to discover, but the way of furthering the cause of democratic government. And there, there is something that we have in common and that leads to a meeting of the minds between us. The people in revolt have walked towards civil peace. First of all, and towards more freedom, it will be good. In this regard, I appreciated it. By the way, it was a state, not so long ago in Paris, receiving from Chancellor Schmidt economic proposals made for the plan of the Caribbean, which is also applied to Central America. We need the most aid, which is consistent, it goes in the right direction. The road will certainly be longer, and we still need to light it up. That is what we have been looking for. There is a better understanding and to be able to give more assistance to the peoples that are rebelling against their fate and that can lead to peace, civilian peace and more freedom is a good thing. And as I said when I was receiving Chancellor Schmidt I appreciated the economic proposals made in the context of the Caribbean plan which would also apply to Central America. It is clear that what is needed is more aid and consistent aid. And I think that what is being suggested is a step in the right direction. The path to be followed will clearly be a long one, but everything that is done that can show us where that path lies and can enlighten us in that respect can but be a good thing. The United States of America is talking about this serious issue. We have noticed that the affirmation of the rights of Israel and the affirmation of the rights of all the peoples of the region must allow with patience and tenacity the definition of a policy of peace which of course our two countries are not judged but which will one day or another interest the countries interested in the region. As far as the Near East is concerned I was in the area recently and only last week. I indicated what my feelings were on the subject and it was therefore only natural that in talking with the President of the United States that we should in fact also discuss those very serious questions. And we found that the assertion of the rights of Israel and the rights of all peoples of the region should make it possible to define with patience and tenacity the policies that will lead to peace. Now our two countries are not the ones to pass judgment on such policies but they are policies which should be of interest and concern to the countries directly involved in the area. My friends and allies on the scene of the world have a mission to evaluate their point of view in a single object, the one to approach them when they are different and to affirm them when they are similar in order to give a certain direction to the people who are worried. I will finish by saying that the hospitality that I received has given me the opportunity once again to feel the depth of the links that unite us and I have the intention next time since it will be in my country to continue to act in this sense, to talk, to discuss, to mark methodically the points on which we can advance together and serve as much as possible the interests of the peace of the world. Thank you. That's it. I will now go back to the President of the United States of America by expressing my deepest thanks. Now lastly on bilateral matters, well there we were talking among friends and there of course that is a long story that goes back many years but we were able to discuss these matters frankly as friends and allies who's calling it should be in the world to express their views clearly so as to be able to bring them closer together when they are not the same in order to be able to assert them with greater force when the ones positions do converge so as to be able to give the right kind of orientation to the peoples of the world who are waiting with anxiety for the outcome. Now as to the hospitality that has been extended to me I would like to say that it has given me again the opportunity of feeling the real depth of the ties between our two countries and I certainly intend on the next occasion which will be in my own country to continue along the very same lines. In such talks we have been able to discuss matters and we must continue to do so to talk about these issues with method in order to be able to indicate clearly the areas on which we can move forward together and in order to be able to serve to the best of our ability the cause of world peace so my last words will be to say thank you and I turn particularly to the President of the United States in order to extend to him directly my heartfelt thanks.