In the spirit of frankness which I hope will characterize our talks this week, let us recognize at the out set these points: We have at times in the past been enemies. We have great differences today, what brings us together is that we have common interests which transcend those differences. As we discuss our differences, either of us will compromise our principles. But while we can not close the gulf between us, we can try to bridge it so that we may be able to talk across it.
So, let us, in these next five days, start a long march together, not in lockstep, but on different roads leading to the same goal, the goal of building a world structure of peace and justice in which all may stand together with equal dignity and in which each nation, large or small, has a right to determine its own form of government, free of outside interference or domination. The world watches. The world listens. The world waits to see what we will do. What is the world In a personal sense, I think of my eldest daughter whose birthday is today. As I think of her, I think of all the children in the world, in Asia, in Africa, in Europe, in the Americas, most of whom were born since the date of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China.
What legacy shall we leave our children7 Are they destined to die for the hatreds which have plagued the old world, or are they destined to live because we had the vision to build a new world