"Your Majesty,
"It is a pleasure for me to welcome you, on behalf of the American people, to
the United States. You are indeed a great leader to the Arab nation and custodian of
the two most holy Islamic cities.
''We are greatly honoured by your visit and it is a pleasure for us to maintain
with you the same friendly relations we had with your late father, King Abdel Aziz
Al Saud.
"We look forward to strengthening the bonds of this precious friendship during
this visit which will give us the opportunity to conduct a thorough examination of all
the issues of concern to our two countries."
His Majesty's reply
"I would like to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to yourself
and to the great American people for this wonderful reception. It gives me great
pleasure to respond 0 your desire to renew the traditional friendship that links our
two peoples, a friendship that dates back to the reign of my late father King Abdel
Aziz. On behalf of my people I wish to assure you of my wish to promote our
relations with the American people on the basis of amity and mutual interest. I
would like to seize this opportunity to have talks with you and with your
government in a spirit of total frankness. We appeal to God for wisdom an
judiciousness to support us in our endeavour to promote well-being and peace in the
world."
Before concluding his visit, the king gave a banquet at the Guest House
attended by President Eisenhower and senior US. statesmen at which he delivered
the following statement:
"Excellency,
"Distinguished Friends,
"I would like to convey my thanks and gratitude to the President, government
and people of the United States of America for the generous hospitality and warm
welcome accorded to me by each and everyone. I would also like to commend the
strong friendship that links our governments and peoples and my personal relations
with His Excellency the President whom I have had the chance of knowing closely.
He is far-sighted, broad-minded and worthy of appreciation. We had friendly talks
with the President, Secretary of State and other government officials that we hope,
God willing, will promote the interests of us all. I appreciate all the efforts exerted by
the Government of the United States of America to promote international peace,
seeking 0 respond to the needs of countries striving for independence and
recognizing their right to self-determination. Those are principles enshrined in the
United Nations Charter, whose bases were laid by the United States which supports
its resolutions. In so doing, the United States is promoting peace and the right to
self-determination throughout the world. The USA has acted according to its
principles, granting independence and freedom to countries that were under its
domination without bloodshed or demonstrations. The United States should exert
further efforts, on which we pin all our hopes, to promote peace and freedom for all
the peoples. It is a goal to which I would gladly contribute. I would like to assure
you of my friendship and that of my government and people with a country with
whom we share common interests and peaceful objectives in favour of mankind."
President Eisenhower replied:
"Your Majesty,
"Distinguished members of the Saudi government and friends,
"May I be permitted to tell you how happy and honoured the American people
are by your visit and the talks we had together and emphasize that we share
sentiments to which you referred earlier. I am confident that the talks we had will
bear their fruit and strengthen the bonds of friendship that link our people and
countries because peace and security are based on friendship among people. The
friendship that brings our countries closer together shall certainly promote the cause
of peace not only in our two countries but also in your region as well as in the
different parts of the world.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to express, on behalf of my friends, our great
happiness at your visit which honours us. I do hope that your stay will be a pleasant
and fruitful one and I do wish you a safe journey back home."
His Majesty's reply
"I would like to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to yourself
and to the great American people for this wonderful reception. It gives me great
pleasure to respond 0 your desire to renew the traditional friendship that links our
two peoples, a friendship that dates back to the reign of my late father King Abdel
Aziz. On behalf of my people I wish to assure you of my wish to promote our
relations with the American people on the basis of amity and mutual interest. I
would like to seize this opportunity to have talks with you and with your
government in a spirit of total frankness. We appeal to God for wisdom an
judiciousness to support us in our endeavour to promote well-being and peace in the
world."
Before concluding his visit, the king gave a banquet at the Guest House
attended by President Eisenhower and senior US. statesmen at which he delivered
the following statement:
"Excellency,
"Distinguished Friends,
"I would like to convey my thanks and gratitude to the President, government
and people of the United States of America for the generous hospitality and warm
welcome accorded to me by each and everyone. I would also like to commend the
strong friendship that links our governments and peoples and my personal relations
with His Excellency the President whom I have had the chance of knowing closely.
He is far-sighted, broad-minded and worthy of appreciation. We had friendly talks
with the President, Secretary of State and other government officials that we hope,
God willing, will promote the interests of us all. I appreciate all the efforts exerted by
the Government of the United States of America to promote international peace,
seeking 0 respond to the needs of countries striving for independence and
recognizing their right to self-determination. Those are principles enshrined in the
United Nations Charter, whose bases were laid by the United States which supports
its resolutions. In so doing, the United States is promoting peace and the right to
self-determination throughout the world. The USA has acted according to its
principles, granting independence and freedom to countries that were under its
domination without bloodshed or demonstrations. The United States should exert
further efforts, on which we pin all our hopes, to promote peace and freedom for all
the peoples. It is a goal to which I would gladly contribute. I would like to assure
you of my friendship and that of my government and people with a country with
whom we share common interests and peaceful objectives in favour of mankind."
President Eisenhower replied:
"Your Majesty,
"Distinguished members of the Saudi government and friends,
"May I be permitted to tell you how happy and honoured the American people
are by your visit and the talks we had together and emphasize that we share
sentiments to which you referred earlier. I am confident that the talks we had will
bear their fruit and strengthen the bonds of friendship that link our people and
countries because peace and security are based on friendship among people. The
friendship that brings our countries closer together shall certainly promote the cause
of peace not only in our two countries but also in your region as well as in the
different parts of the world.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to express, on behalf of my friends, our great
happiness at your visit which honours us. I do hope that your stay will be a pleasant
and fruitful one and I do wish you a safe journey back home."