Remarks of Welcome to the King and Queen of Nepal at the Washington National Airport
Your Majesties:
It is indeed a great honor to welcome you here to the United States. The American people are delighted that you have found it possible to lay down your own responsibilities long enough to come and make this visit to our country.
It is truly an historic occasion. This is the first time that a reigning monarch of Nepal has set foot on this continent, and we are indeed proud that you have found it possible to do so.
The friendly relations between your country and ours are a matter of common knowledge. They have long existed. They have been strong and cordial, and we are confident that your visit here will do much to strengthen them and sustain them.
So, sir, and to you, Your Majesty, we--the people, the Government, and I--join in saying welcome, and we hope that you find our country interesting, and that every minute of your stay here will be enjoyable.
Note: King Mahendra responded ( through an interpreter) as follows:
Your Excellency, and ladies and gentle-
We are all very happy to be here on your very kind invitation. We heartily welcome this opportunity for the exchange of views with such a great leader as you, who have distinguished yourself in the service of your nation in both war and peace and have always stood for the cause of peace and freedom in the world.
We hope and trust that our visit will further strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and cordiality between our two countries.
We bring to you, Mr. President, the greetings and salutations of the people of Nepal and also through you, sir, convey their best wishes to the people of the United States.
During our visit in the United States in the next few days, we will be looking forward to meeting the people in the different parts of the country and acquiring a firsthand knowledge of the great achievements the American people have made in different spheres of national endeavor.
Your Excellency, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the kind and generous words of welcome you have just addressed to us, and take this opportunity to express our good wishes for the happiness and prosperity of this great land.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Remarks of Welcome to the King and Queen of Nepal at the Washington National Airport Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/234198
