UN General Assembly
1959

5. The exchange of visits among the leaders of the world is certainly an event which we welcome wholeheartedly. His Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, returning from an extended visit to many friendly countries, expressed to his people his deep conviction of the importance of such an exchange of visits in the following terms: "Formal diplomatic relations between nations are, in these times, being accepted as useful in maintaining normal and friendly contacts. But these by no means can replace personal contacts among responsible heads of State, for seeing things with one’s own eyes is superior to hearing even from the most reliable sources. We hope that this spirit will continue to prevail among leaders of the world. We are confident that the anticipated meeting of the heads of State of the two leading nations of the East and West will yield fruitful results for world peace." We believe direct contacts among leaders of the world, though they may fail to remove differences in ideologies, can surely create an atmosphere conducive to peaceful coexistence.