Remarks at the Swearing In of Anne L. Armstrong as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Anne and Tobin and Mr. Justice Powell and Mrs. Ford, as well as all the other distinguished guests:

This is one of the nicest experiences that I have been able to perform in some 18 months. Of course, you are all familiar with the outstanding person that we have recommended to be the Ambassador to the Court of St. James. I am sure all of you know that she was unanimously approved by the Senate which is, I think, somewhat historic.

But, in addition, I think we all know Anne Armstrong. I don't have to repeat for all her friends her many jobs that she has had, whether it was in the Cabinet in the executive branch of the Government, whether it was in the Republican Party where she served from vice chairman on down to precinct worker, or whether it is in the many, many activities that she participated in--working with Spanish Americans out in the great State of Texas or working on behalf of the cause of women in Mexico or in the United States or otherwise. Wherever she has done something, she has done a superb job. So, when the opening became available in the Court of St. James, I just could not think of a better person for that responsibility than Anne Armstrong.

Betty is always needling me a little bit that I should appoint qualified, highly competent women to positions of great responsibility. Well, in Anne Armstrong I have made such an appointment. And I am confident that she will do a superb job in carrying out the good relations that we have with the United Kingdom.

We have had, of course, a long, long relationship with Great Britain. The relations today, I think, are as good as they have ever been. I have had some exceptionally fine experiences with the Prime Minister. Our former Ambassador knows with his service there that our relations, country-to-country, are excellent.

So you go to Great Britain, Anne, with everything in good shape. I know you will keep those relations through your personality, through your ability, through your diligence. You not only can have an impact on those relations but you can have a significant impact on our relations within NATO itself, because both Countries, of course, are significant partners in the NATO organization.

I am just so pleased that Anne is here with Tobin and all of her friends. It is a great occasion to participate in the swearing in of the first woman to ever represent the United States to the Court of St. James. So it is an historic first with really one of our most outstanding women. And with those words I will ask Mr. Justice Powell to perform the swearing-in ceremony.