Reply to the Speech made by the First Ambassador
of the Republic of France to Pakistan at the time of Presenting credentials
to the Quaid-i-Azam on 21st January, 1948
Your Excellency,
It has given me great pleasure to welcome you today in your capacity
as the first Ambassador of the Republic of France to Pakistan. With your
appointment the relationship between our two countries assumes a closer
and more intimate form and I hope and trust that this will presage the
most cordial and friendly co-operation between our two countries.
The magnificent history of your great country and its achievements are
well known to the world. In common with other nations, we in Pakistan have
admired the high principles of democracy that form the basis of your Great
State. The cry of liberty, fraternity and equality which was raised during
your Great Revolution and officially adopted by your great Republic had
its repercussions throughout the world as is known to every student of
history. These ideals and these principles are still buoying up the hopes
of many downtrodden nations. As Your Excellency has yourself observed the
traditions (and may I add the culture) of Pakistan, as the youngest of
the free Muslim countries of the world, has been inherited from a long
past; --a past which, in view of the manifold contacts of France with the
Muslim world over several centuries, is well-known and familiar to the
Government and people of France. Indeed in view of this long contact of
France with the Muslim world, the people of France and Pakistan are not
strangers to one another. I hope and trust that with this background of
intimate contact between our two peoples and in particular with Your Excellency's
knowledge of our brother Muslim countries, your appointment will inaugurate
a new era which I hope will lead to closer friendship between France and
Pakistan. I assure Your Excellency that we in Pakistan will give you our
support and co-operation which you may require in promoting relationship
of goodwill and friendship between our two countries and I trust that in
the result, Pakistan and France will unitedly play their part in re-establishing
peace and prosperity in the precent distracted world
Once again, Your Excellency, I assure you of a warm and friendly welcome
to Pakistan.
Pakistan Zindabad
