As the flags of the french revolutionaries, live free o die. Thankfully freedom is also the source of all that is worth living for. Freedom is a call to think and to love. It is a call to our will. That is why in times of peace france and the United States were able to forge unbreakable bonds from the painful memories. The most undestructible is the one that ties our peoples advance. The Unfinished Business of democracy. Indeed, our two societies have stood up to advance the human rights for all. They have engaged in a continual dialogue to impact the Unfinished Business. In this capital rotunda, Martin Luther king, assassinated years ago, reminds us after the inspiration of African American leaders, artists, writers who have become part of our common heritage. We celebrate among them jen spaldwin and richard wright. No we have shared the history of civil rights. France has a respected figure in the movement for gender equality in america in the 70s. Womens rights have long been a driver for our society on both sides of the atlantic. This explains why theres been such a deep resonance in reach. Democracy is made of day today conversation and Mutual Understanding between citizens. It is easier and deeper when we have the ability to speak each others language. The heart of someone beats from new orleans to seattle. I want this heart to beat even harder in american schools all across the country. Democracy relies also on the faculty of freely describing the present and the capacity to see the future. This is what culture brings. Thousands of examples come to mind. When we think of the exchanges between our cultures across the centuries. From Thomas Jefferson who was ambassador to france and built his house in mont cello based on the building he loved in paris. To him it was novel movable feasts celebrating the capital city of france. From our 19th century french writer bringing to the french people the dream of americans up in spaces, forests and mountains. Novels first read in france where they gained literary praise. From jazz coming from louisiana and the blues from mississippi, finding in france an enthusiastic public. To the american fascination for impressionists and the french modern and contemporary arts. Th these exchanges are vibrant in some fields from cinema to fashion. From design to high cuisine. From sports to visual arts. Medicine and Scientific Research as well as business and innovation are also significant parts of our shared journey. The United States is frances first scientific partner. Our economic ties create hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides of the atlantic. Its the story of france and the United States. Its a story of an endless dialogue made of demon common dreams, for dignity and progress. Its the best achievement of our democratic principles and values. This is this very special relationship. This is us. We best remember the warning of president roosevelt. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didnt pass it to our children. It must be fought for, protected, handed on for them to do the same. This is an urgent reminder, indeed, because now going beyond our bilateral ties, beyond our very special relationship, europe and the United States must face together the Global Challenges of the century. And we cannot take for granted our transatlantic history and bonds. At the core our worth and values themselves are at risk. We have to succeed facing the challenges, and we cannot succeed in forgetting our principles and our history. In fact, the 21st century has brought a series of new threats and new challenges that our ancestors might not ever have imagined. Our strongest beliefs are challenged by the rise of a new world order. Our societies are concerned about the future of their children. All of us gathered here in this noble chamber, we elected officials, all share the responsibility to demonstrate that democracy remains the best answer to the questions and doubts that are raised today. Even if the foundations of our progress are disrupted, we must stand firmly and fight to make our principles prevail. But we bear another responsibility inherited from our collective history. Today the International Community needs to step up our game and build the 21th century world order based on the perennial principle we established together after world war ii. The rule of law. Fundamental values in which we secure peace for 70 years are now questioned by urgent issues that require our joint action. Together with our International Allies and partners, we are facing an inequalities by globalization. Threats to the planet, our common good, attacks on democracy through the rise of liberalism and to destabilization of our International Community by new powers and criminal states. All these risks aggrieve our citizens. Both in the United States and in europe, we are living in a time of anger and fear because of this current Global Threats. But these feelings do not build anything. You can play with fears and angers for a time. But they do not construct anything. Anger only freezes and weakens us. And as roosevelt said, the only thing we have to fear it is fear itself. [ applause ] therefore let me say we have two possible ways ahead. We can choose isolationism, withdrawal, and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary relief to our fears. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse but enflame the fears of our citizens. We have to keep our eyes wide open to the new risks right in front of us. Im convinced that if we decide to open our eyes wider, we will be stronger. We will overcome the dangers. We will not let the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity. It is a critical moment. If we do not act with urgency as a global community, i am convinced that the International Institutions including the United Nations and nato will no longer be able to mandate in stabilizing influence. We would then inevitably and severely undermine the liberal order we built after world war ii. All the powers with the strongest strategy and ambition will then fill the void we would leave empty. All the ports will not hesitate one second to advocate their own model to shape the 21st century world order. Personally, if you ask me, i do not share the fascination for new strong powers. The abandonment of freedom, and the illusion of nationalism. [ applause ] therefore, distinguished members of the congress, let us push them aside, write our own history and embrace the future we want. [ applause ] we have to shape our common answers to the Global Threats that we are facing. The only option then is to strengthen our cooperation. We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of milltarianism, based on a more effective, accountable, and result oriented milltarianism. This requires more than ever the United States involvement as your role was decisive for creating and safeguarding todays free world. The United States is the one who invented this militarism. Youre the one now who has to help to preserve and reinvent it. [ applause ] this strong militarism will not outshine our National Cultures and national identities. It is exactly the other way around. A strong militarism will allow our cultures and identities to be respected, to be protected, and to florish freely together. Why . Because our own cultures is based on both sides of the atlantic on this unique taste for freedom, on this unique attachment for liberty and peace. This strong militarism is the unique option compatible with our nations, our cultures, our identities. With the u. S. , with the support of every certified members of this joint session, were presenting the whole american nation we can actively contribute together to building the 2 1st century world order for our people. The United States [ applause ] the United States and europe have a historical role in this respect. Because it is the only way to defend what we believe in, to promote our universal views, to express strongly that human rights, the rights of minorities, and shared liberty are the true answer to the disorders of the world. I believe in this rights and values. I believe that against ignorance we have education. Against inequalities, development. Against cynicism, trust and good faith. Against fanaticism, culture. Against disease, medicine. Against the threats on the planet, science. [ applause ] i believe solutions are in our hands. I believe in the liberation of the individual and in the freedom and responsibility of everyone to build their own lives and pursue happiness. [ applause ] i believe in the regulated economies. We are experiencing the positive impact of globalization with innovations, with job creations. With this, however, the abusers of globalized capitalism and digital disruptions which jep news the stability of our economies and democracies, i believe facing these challenges requires the opposite of massive deregulation and extreme nationalism. Commercial war is not the proper answer to this evolution. We need a free and fair trade for sure. A commercial war opposing the lies is not consistent with our mission, with our history, with our current commitments for the global security. Ed a at the end of the day, it will destroy jobs, increase prices, and the middle class will have to pay for it. I believe we can build the right answers to legitimate concerns regarding trade imbalances, excesses and over capacities by negotiating through the World Trade Organization and building cooperative solutions. We wrote these rules. We should follow them. I believe we can address our citizens concerns regarding privacy and personal data. The recent facebook the recent facebook hearings are a necessity to preserve our citizens Digital Rights all over the world. And protect the confidence in todays Digital Tools of life. The European Union passed a new regulation for data protection. I believe the United States and the European Union should cooperate to find the right balance between innovation and ethics. And harness the best of todays revolutions in digital data and artificial intelligence. I believe facing inequalities should push us to improve quality coordination to reduce financial speculation and create mechanisms to protect the middle class interests. Because our middle classes are the backbone of our democracies. I believe in building a Better Future for our children which requires offering them a planet that is still habitable in 25 years. Some people think that securing Current Industries and their jobs is more urgent than transforming our economies to meet the Global Challenge of climate change. I hear these concerns. But we must find a smooth transition to a low carbon economy. Because what is the meaning of our life, really, if we work and live destroying the planet, one sacre fie things for the future of our children. What is the meaning of our life if our decision, our conscious decision is to reduce the opportunities for our children and grandchildren. By polluting the oceans, not mitigating co 2 emissions and destroying our bio diversity, we are killing our planet. Let us face it. There is no planet b. [ applause ] on this issue, it may happen. We have disagreements between the United States and france. It may happen. Like in all families, but thats for me, short. On their own word, well have to face some realities and were just citizens of the same planet. So we will have to face it. So beyond, some short term disagreements, we have to Work Together. With Business Leaders and local communities, let us Work Together in order to make our planet great again and create new jobs and new opportunities. While safeguarding our earth. And im sure one day the United States would come back and join the paris agreement, and im sure [ applause ] and im sure we can Work Together to fulfill with you the ambitions of the Global Compact on the environment. Ladies and gentlemen, i believe in democracy. Many of our fore bearers were slain for the cause of freedom and human rights. With the great inheritance they gave us, it comes with the responsibility to continue the mig in the new century and preserve the perennial values handed to us and assure that todays unprecedented innovations in science and technology remain the service of liberty and is a preservation of our planet for the next generations. To protect our democracies, we have to fight against the evergrowing virus of fake news which exposes our people to ir rational fear and imaginary risk. [ applause ] and let me attribute a copy right for fake news, especially here. Without reason, without truth, there is no real democracy, because democracy is about true choices and rational decisions. The corruption of information is an attempt to corrode the very spirit of our democracies. [ applause ] we also have to fight against the terrorist propaganda that spreads out as fanaticism on the internet. [ applause ] it has a gripping influence on some of our citizens and children. I want this fight to be part of our bilateral commitment and with your presence, the importance of such an agenda, i want to fight to be part of the agenda, because here again, it deeply harms our right and shared values. The terrorist threat is even more dangerous when it is combined with the Nuclear Proliferation threat. We must, therefore, be stricter than ever with countries seeking to acquire the nuclear bomb. That is why france supports fully the United States in it efforts to bring sanctions toward denuclearization of the korean peninsula. [ applause ] as for iran, our objective is clear. Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in ten years. Never. But this policy should never lead us to war in the middle east. We must ensure stability and respect sovereignty of the nations including that one of iran which represents a great civilization. Let us not replicate past mistakes in the region. Let us not be naive on one side. Let us not create new walls ourselves on the other side. There is an existing framework called the gcpoa to control the Nuclear Activity of iran. We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it both the United States and france. That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that. It is true to say that this agreement may not help all concerns, and very important concerns. This is true. But we should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead. Thats my position. Thats why france will not leave the gcpoa, because he signed it. Your president and your country will have to take in the current days and weeks it own responsibilities regarding this issue. But what i want to do, and what we decided together with your president is that we can work on a more comprehensive deal addressing all the concerns. That is why we have to work on this more comprehensive deal ba based on four pillars. The substance of the existing agreement, especially if you decide to leave it. The post 2020 period to be sure well never have any Nuclear Activity for iran. The cob stantainment of the mil influence of the Iranian Regime in the region, and the monitoring of ballistic activity. I think these four pillars, the ones i addressed in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations last september are the one which cover the legitimate fears of the United States and our allies in the region. I think we have to start working now on these four pillars to build this new comprehensive deal and to be sure that whatever the decision of the United States will be, we will not leave the floor to the absence of rule. We will not leave the floor to this conflict of powers in middle east. We will not fuel ourselves an increasing tensions and potential war. Thats my position, and i think we can Work Together to build this comprehensive deal for the whole region for our people, because i think it addresses our concerns. Thats my position. Thank you. And this containment, i mentioned on one of the pillars, is necessary in yemen, in lebanon, in iraq, and also in syria. Building a stainable sustainable peace requires that all powers in the region respect the sovereignty of its people, and the diversity of its communities. In syria we work very closely together. After prohibited weapons were used against the population, by the regime of Bashar Al Assad two weeks ago, the United States and france together with the United Kingdom acted to destroy chemical facilities and to restore the credibility of the International