Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume I, Foundations of Foreign Policy

92. Remarks by President Carter¹

Bonn, July 17, 1978

Having been fortunate enough to make an official state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany immediately prior to the summit conference, I would like to express the thanks, on behalf of all the American delegation, to President Scheel, to Chancellor Schmidt, and to the people of the Federal Republic, for their hospitality.

I have been very pleased at the results of this summit conference. The results have exceeded the expectation of all of us. The discussions and the conclusions have been carefully prepared. Each one of us has been cautious at this summit not to promise things which we could not subsequently deliver.

The assessments have been long, sometimes tedious, but comprehensive in nature. They are substantive and specific. I think each leader has gone the limit, within the bounds of political actualities, to contribute everything possible from our own individual nations to the common well-being of the world.

Our contributions have been mutually supportive. They have been different, one from another, because our capabilities and our needs are different.

We have dealt with the very serious problem of protectionism and mutually committed ourselves to successfully concluding the multilateral trade negotiations to permit free markets to keep our people employed at home.

The Federal Republic of Germany, the Government of Japan, have generously committed themselves to increased economic growth. Other nations have joined in this commitment. The United States, recognizing our own responsibilities, and at the request of others, have committed ourselves to a comprehensive energy policy and its implementation—to cut down the importation of oil by 2½ million barrels a day by the year 1985, to raise the price of oil, which is too cheap in our own country, to the world market level to discourage waste.

We and the Canadians have recognized our need to provide some predictability, some dependability upon a supply of nuclear fuels to other nations, commensurate with a mutual profession against proliferation of nuclear explosives and the adherence to international safeguards.

We have all been concerned about inflation and have made our plans to deal with this all-pervasive threat throughout the world.

This is a time when we also recognize our strength, our stability, the benefits of peace. And our hope is that in the analysis of transient problems, with which we are trying to deal successfully, that we need not ever lose sight of the base of common purpose that binds us together in a successful endeavor in the free and democratic nations of the world.

We will be carefully monitoring progress after this summit adjourns, to make sure that those commitments made in sincerity are not forgotten nor abandoned in the months ahead.

I would like to say, finally, that we have not forgotten the developing nations of the world. We are fortunate, we’ve been blessed with economic and political and military strength and with a fine, high standard of living for our own people. We recognize the need to share this with other, less developed countries. And all these cumulative commitments, I think, will be very good and constructive for the entire world economy in the months ahead.

I personally believe that the strong statement on controlling air piracy, terrorism, is in itself worth the entire preparation and conduct of the summit. We are determined that this commitment be carried out individually and collectively. And our Foreign Ministers have been instructed immediately to contact other nations around the world without delay, to encourage them to join in with us in this substantive and, I think, adequate move to prevent air hijacking in the future.

I leave this summit conference with a resolve to carry out our purposes, to continue our mutual discussions and consultations, and with a new sense of confidence.

This has been a very successful meeting among us. The preparation for it was very instructive and educational, and the superb chairmanship of Chancellor Schmidt has helped to ensure its success.

1. Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book II, pp. 1309–1310. The President spoke at 7:12 p.m. at the conclusion of the Bonn Economic Summit in the Bonn Stadt Theater following statements made by Schmidt, Trudeau, Giscard, Andreotti, Fukuda, and Callaghan. The President departed Washington on July 13 and made a State visit to the Federal Republic of Germany July 14–15, prior to attending the economic summit, which took place at the Palais Schaumburg July 16–17. Documentation on the State visit is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. XXVII, Western Europe. For the minutes of the economic summit meetings, see Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. III, Foreign Economic Policy, Documents 142–145. For the text of the declaration issued at the conclusion of the summit meeting and a joint statement on international terrorism, see Department of State Bulletin, September 1978, pp. 2–5.