while, at the same time, thousands of miles away, the flag of Maryland
waved above the Governor's Palace in the capital city of the State of
Rio.

I think that my good friend, Governor Torres, of our sister State,
best described the meaning of this mutual display of flags in a letter
that arrived only a few days ago. He described the ceremony as simple
but meaningful and noted that its purpose was and I quote, "to
acknowledge the warm and friendly ties which now exist between our
two States and their respective citizens. "

Two weeks ago, another letter arrived at my office from a group
of college students in Western Maryland who expressed an interest
in the Partners of the Alliance Program and asked how they too could
participate in a meaningful way. The activity that has taken place
since the launching of the Partners Program is, indeed, gratifying to
me and my only regret is that we did not undertake this program
sooner.

Maryland and Rio are two states that share not only the same hemi-
sphere but also many of the same interests and problems. We are
linked together not only by trade and commerce but by a common
desire for peace and understanding in international affairs. Both
Rio and Maryland possess long stretches of fabulous Atlantic beaches,
mammoth steel mills, attractive mountain resort areas, extensive har-
bor facilities and both are adjacent to large independent federal gov-
ernment centers. But the strongest bond between our two States is
reflected in the firm desire on the part of our citizens to share in the
solution to common problems and to assist each other in providing
a good life for our people. Both as Governor and as a citizen of Mary-
land, I find it especially gratifying that the people of our State are
now able to play a beneficial role in international affairs. As I have
noted before, one of the chief advantages of the Partners Program
is that it permits private citizens to take a useful and active part in
a program of vital importance to the free world.

It is my sincere hope, as I know it is yours, that the warm relation-
ship that now exists between the sister States of Rio de Janeiro and
Maryland will continue to grow stronger and that travel and com-
munication between our respective communities will increase as more
and more of our citizens become aware of the importance of the Part-
ners Program. It is my belief that we have within our grasp the
opportunity to expand our horizons through the exchange of ideas
and talents and through the development of a mutual appreciation
of our respective cultures.

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