(RO: Discurs Corneliu Coposu - Decernarea Ordinului Naţional al Legiunii de Onoare în Grad de Ofiţer)
(FR: Discours Corneliu Coposu – Remise de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur au grade d'officier)

Corneliu Coposu’s speech at the Embassy of France in Bucharest at the Ceremony of National Order of the Legion of Honor

YourExcellency, Dear Mr Ambassador,
Ladies and Gentlemen’s,
Dear friends,

I would like to sincerely tell you that I am deeply impressed and excited forthe honor you made me with this ceremony, with this great prise of the French people.

I am even more impressed because this beautiful gesture comes from the initiative of France, the world-age centre of freedom and democracy ideas, the country I feel related to, through a long lasting nationaltradition and also through my personal feelings.

Let me consider this distinction you offered me as an omage brought to me and to Romanian people.

I really want to believe that this honor is a proof of encouragement and hope. I hope that my country would find his position within the democratic countries of Europe with dignity,a position we have lost in the longest and terrible communist dictatorship.

Please, yourExcellency, to have the willingness to be my messengerand pass my warm gratitude to the President of France to Mr Jaque Chirac and to Mr Prime Minister Mr Alain Juppe for this distinction.

In the same time, please dear Excellency, accept my whole gratitude for this manifestation full of hospitality andsympathy you had the generosity to organize in this afternoon.

Of course, I would not end my speech without paying my respects to France and the French people.