Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony at Surcin Airport in Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Mr. President, Yugoslav and American friends:

I've looked forward to this day since March of 1978, when President Tito invited me to come to Yugoslavia. I'm very grateful to the Presidency of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for renewing that invitation.

My pleasure in visiting this proud and beautiful land is tempered by the sorrow we all feel at the passing of President Tito. He was a great man, one of the greatest of the 20th century. He was one of a small handful of statesmen who can truly be said to have shaped the modern world and one of an even smaller handful who have shaped it for the better.

He was a man of extraordinary courage-physical, moral, and political courage. He was also a man of imagination and of a rare kind of practical vision, the kind of vision that sees not only what a better world might be like but also how the imperfect tools that we have can be used to help build a better world. President Tito's contribution to the development of a strong, independent, and nonaligned Yugoslavia was, of course, unparalleled, but his contribution to international peace and stability was no less important.

It was my privilege to have worked with President Tito. I've greatly valued his counsel, which was the product of so much wisdom and experience. He shared this .wisdom with me very generously, both face to face and through the many letters that we exchanged.

I share your grief at his passing and your admiration for what he accomplished. President Tito left a precious legacy—a strong, independent, and nonaligned Yugoslavia. I have come to Belgrade to assure you of the friendship and support of the United States as you build on that legacy.

President Tito devoted a great deal of effort to forging good relations between our two countries. Today the foundation of those relations is firm and durable. In the past 3 years, moreover, the bonds between our two countries have grown visibly stronger, and I am eager to work with you to make them stronger still.

In this connection, Mr. President, I want to reaffirm to you today the basic continuity of American policy toward Yugoslavia. The United States supports and will continue to support the independence, territorial integrity and the unity of Yugoslavia. The United States wishes to see an economically prosperous and politically strong Yugoslavia. The United States respects Yugoslavia's nonalignment and admires Yugoslavia's constructive international role.

We stand ready to work closely with you to ensure the continued development of an independent Yugoslavia. But we know that your independence is a creation not of any outside force, but of the courage and sacrifice of the people of Yugoslavia. And we also know that the greatest bulwark of your independence is your own fierce determination to defend it. That determination is perhaps the key to the special role Yugoslavia plays in the world.

Yugoslavia was a pioneer of nonalignment and a founder of the nonaligned movement. Yugoslavia remains an important leader of that movement today, militarily, economically, and politically. Yugoslavia has pursued a policy of authentic nonalignment that has won the respect of the entire world. Especially now, at a time when the principles of equality, noninterference, and territorial inviolability are threatened, Yugoslavia's steadfast defense of the principles of the United Nations and of the nonaligned movement takes on new importance.

We know that Yugoslavia can make a significant contribution to the solution of international problems and to the further development of detente between East and West. The United States also wants to strengthen detente, and we will work hard toward that end. But detente must be based on reciprocity. It must be based on mutual restraint. It must be based on respect for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and noninterference in the affairs of other nations. These are the principles of international life for which Yugoslavia has always struggled.

At the same time, the United States strongly believes that efforts to reduce the chances of nuclear war must continue; so must the efforts to build an international system that helps to reduce tensions and to foster peace, security, freedom, and economic well-being.

Despite the crises that beset the world today, the United States remains committed to preserving the framework of detente and to maintaining a dialog between the nations of the world. Specifically, we support arms control and disarmament talks and negotiations wherever they can contribute to mutual security and to international stability. We also support the Madrid Review Conference of the Helsinki Final Act, which we feel can contribute to the full and frank review of progress to date and to balanced steps forward in all areas of the Final Act.

Mr. President, I'm looking forward to our discussions on these and other matters. We are eager to hear your ideas for ways in which Yugoslavia and the nonaligned movement can contribute to solving the many difficult problems the world faces. Mr. President, our time here is short and we have much to discuss, but we will be building on a foundation of mutual purpose. I'm very pleased to be here. I bring to you and to all the people of Yugoslavia the warmest good wishes of the people of the United States.

Thank you very much for this fine welcome.