Richard Nixon

President Nixon congratulated President Diaz Ordaz on the many significant accomplishments of his administration, and expressed his great affection for Mexico and his deep gratitude for the warmth of the reception given him and Mrs. Nixon…

Mr. President, you have honored all of us from the United States with the warmth of your reception and we will take away memories of this visit which will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

President Nixon noted that the United States, looking toward a new agreement, has proposed certain new measures that would result in significant improvements in the waters received by Mexico.

And to have you present there as not only the guest of the United States but particularly as one of the final commemorative events of the bicentennial of California will be a historic moment for our country and for our State.

President Nixon congratulated the Mexican Government on the success of its campaign to prevent production and illicit trafficking in narcotics.

Here in this place we look out upon one of the great scenic wonders of the world.

And so to the architect of progress for his own country and to peace and good relations between his country and our country, I ask you to rise and raise your glasses to President Diaz Ordaz of Mexico.

But Mr. President, in addition to all of these very great memories that we will take away, what will be particularly memorable in this visit is the historic agreement that has been reached in which we now settle all of the boundary…

And I am very happy to announce to this assembly that the President has accepted our invitation to be the guest at a state dinner in his honor in San Diego, California, on September 3.

We thank you for giving us the opportunity of seeing a part of your great and picturesque nation, a part that most of us have never seen before, and it makes us realize that there is so much of Mexico for all of us to see and to know, to…

President Nixon assured President Diaz Ordaz of his desire to encourage trade between the two countries.

From this time on no boundaries will ever divide us in our search for peace, for prosperity and freedom for the Mexican people and the people of the United States of America.

We congratulate and thank you all for making possible such a historic agreement.

The fact that we are good friends, however, does not mean that this should be taken for granted.

President Diaz Ordaz has very well summarized the results of our discussions.

Many things have happened, since that time 30 years ago, to Mexico.

That border we can say today is not a wall that divides us, but a bridge of friendship which unites us.

You have demonstrated not only for the people of your country, but for the people of the world, that the way to progress is through the right combination between liberty and stability.

We, of course, are vitally concerned about it.

While we have had some difficulties with some votes in the Senate, the Secretary of State assures me that we can get a unanimous vote on this treaty.

We deeply regret that Senora Diaz Ordaz could not be with us, but we remember our meeting a year ago, and we are so delighted that your daughter could be with us here today.

I can report, with the President's approval, that we made progress in our discussions and are continuing at the working level trying to find a solution that we believe will be satisfactory.

The thousands of Americans who each year come to Mexico come back with a very warm place in their hearts for this country and its people, just as my wife and I have had such a place in our hearts since we were here 30 years ago.

It is a very great honor for Mrs. Nixon and me to be received for the first time in Mexico on an official state visit.

It is sometimes possible to order people to come out. It is not possible to order them to smile.