Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen:
It has been my privilege to visit over 60 countries in the world, and of all the countries I have visited, there has been none that has been more memorable than the visit to Romania. This is true not only because of the very substantive talks you, Mr. President, and I have had on issues--talks which I am convinced history will record will serve the cause of peace but it is true also because of the wonderfully heartwarming welcome we have received from the people of Romania every place we have gone.
Mr. President, I am convinced, after this visit, as I am sure you are, that regardless of the differences in policies, the peoples of the world are determined to be one and, Mr. President, from the bottom of my heart, as I leave your country, I want to say, in your own language as well as I can: Traiasca prietenia noastra. La revedere [Long live our friendship. Until we meet again].
Note: The President spoke at 3:53 p.m. at Otopeni Airport in Bucharest. President Ceausescu responded in Romanian. A translation of his remarks follows:
Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, dear comrades:
As President Nixon has already said, in the brief period of time he spent, together with Mrs. Nixon and accompanying persons, in the territory of Romania, I should also like to mention that the conversations we had together were focused on the concern for the development of relations between our two countries, and also for finding new avenues to contribute to the cause of cooperation among peoples and peace in the world.
The welcome extended to you, Mr. President, by the population of the city of Bucharest is an expression of the feelings of friendship our people have for the American people and it mirrors the hospitality of the Romanian people and the desire to live in friendship and peace with the people of America, with all the nations of the world.
Upon your return to your homeland, sir, I should like you to convey, on my own behalf, on behalf of the Romanian people, our friendly greeting to the people of America, our best wishes for prosperity and peace. And now allow me to bid you bon voyage.
Richard Nixon, Remarks on Departure From Romania Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239902
