I KNOW that all of you gentlemen are anxious to speak
to the President, and I will release him immediately.
I do want to say that the communiqué
is going to go out very shortly, as soon as we can get some copies of it,
which will be available to you all and which covers the main points which
we wanted to mention.
I just want to say, speaking
personally, that we have had a most fruitful talk. I think it's most helpful.
We have a very high regard for the President. As I said at the airport,
it is a great source of pride to us as Americans that he studied here in
the United States, that he knows our country well, that he spent over 10
years of his life here. I think he knows the traditions of our country,
and I am sure he knows its aspirations - and I am sure that he knows that
we wish for him and for his country the best of good fortune and speedy
and swift progress towards a constantly improving standard of living, that
we mean to do our part in cooperation with his efforts.
In addition, I emphasized to
him that we are anxious for peace in Africa so that the people of Africa
can develop their resources. We are anxious also to see the people of Africa
living in freedom. This has been a long tradition of this country, stretching
back to our earliest beginnings. We ourselves are a revolutionary people,
and we want to see for other people what we have been able to gain for
ourselves.
So we have been honored to have
the President here, and we regard him as a strong figure in his own country,
and as a strong figure in Africa; and therefore this exchange of views
has been most helpful to this administration. And I am sure he realizes
how welcome he is, and it was a great pleasure for me to have an opportunity
to introduce him to Mrs. Kennedy and to my daughter. He has young children
who are younger than mine, so that shows how vital Africa is.
May I add this, that meeting
you has been a wonderful experience for me, and I really mean that.
Thank you.