Remarks Upon Arrival at the International Airport in Mexico City

Mr. President, Mrs. Diaz Ordaz, members of the First Family, my friends of Mexico:

This is almost a homecoming for the Johnson family. Thirty-one years ago we came to Mexico on our honeymoon. Since then, on every occasion possible, we have crossed the border into your country, visited in your cities and your countryside, and we have enjoyed, on many occasions, visits from your leaders and your Presidents.

I first met President Adolfo Lopez Mateos in the late fifties when he came to the United States. Later, as President, I visited with him in the United States at Chamizal at El Paso, and in 1964 your own distinguished President honored us with a visit that he and his wife made in our home in Texas.

So when I come to Mexico, I feel that I come to the home of my friends. We are here today to present to your country a statue of one of our most beloved and most respected Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. We present that statue to people that we consider our most treasured friends.

Mr. President, we are grateful to you for this beautiful reception, for your gracious remarks. We will look forward to exchanging views with you in the hours that we are permitted together.

I said to your distinguished and able Ambassador, Ambassador Margain, on the way down on the plane today, that while we faced many trying problems in the world today, I did not believe there had ever been a period in the history of the United States and Mexico when we faced fewer problems, when we had better understanding, and when there was a stronger friendship that exists between the people than exists today.

That is because, Mr. President, you and your distinguished predecessors have understood our people and have provided a foresighted leadership for your people that has brought us together in understanding and friendship.

Although in other parts of the world neighbors fight neighbors, neighbors are in dispute with neighbors, there are no armies that patrol our borders, there are no guns that protect the frontiers of Mexico and the United States. Our people cross the boundary freely and work and play together.

And if I could have my one wish granted today, it would be that we could live in a world where we had the same peaceful relations with our neighbors as we have with the people of Mexico. But if we are to have peace in the world, we must try to solve the problems that cause the wars: the problems of illiteracy, the problems of ignorance, the problems of disease, the problems of poverty, the problems of misunderstanding.

Mr. President, we salute you for the leadership that you are providing your own great nation and the contribution you are making to other nations in the world in a program that will bring peace to all humankind. While war clouds hover over certain parts of the world as we meet here this afternoon, we truly and genuinely and sincerely hope that the day may soon come when all the world can live together in peace as do the people of the United States and Mexico.

Mr. President, our distinguished Secretary of State, the majority leader of the United States Senate, the minority leader of the United States Senate, leaders of our House of Representatives, join me on this occasion in thanking you for this very cordial welcome and in saying to you: Muchas gracias, Senor Presidente; muchas gracias a todo Mexico!