Ford Urges Leaders at 1975 Rambouillet Summit to Restore Prosperity by 1977

He called out “Helmut, oh Helmut” as West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt entered the room. Giscard d’Estaing wore a greenish tweed weekend suit. Schmidt wore a light gray suit. Ford was the most formally dressed leader, wearing a dark blue suit with a vest and white shirt.

The group of 18 participants, including finance and foreign ministers, sat nine on each side of a 30-foot long table. Giscard d’Estaing and Ford faced each other across the table; Wilson and Moro faced each other; Miki and Schmidt faced each other. Each participant had earphones.

There were five closed-in interpreters’ booths and a bust of King François I at opposite ends of the room. The leaders did not expect to reach firm decisions but aimed to define directions for fighting inflation, unemployment, and declining world trade. Presidential press spokesman Ron Nessen said the summit may result in an improved performance in the American economy.

Each visiting leader was assigned an apartment in the château. Moving men worked until the early hours of November 15, 1975, uncrating furniture and paintings from the Louvre. More than 3,000 armed French police were deployed around the wooded grounds and gardens.

It had a Spanish-made bed with a working fireplace at the foot and a direct telephone linking him to the White House. Wilson was given an apartment done in mahogany and satin overlooking the garden ponds. Miki was assigned an apartment with heavy beams and Louis XVI furniture.

Schmidt was assigned an apartment furnished in Directoire style. Moro had rooms furnished in Empire style. The six nations intended to align policies on reform of the world monetary system, including the French-American dispute over floating exchange rates.

They also intended to align policies on a common energy policy, including new sources of supply and conservation programs. They intended to align policies on the general world economic outlook and tackling inflation. They intended to align policies on relationships between older industrialized nations, newly rich oil producers, and the poorest developing lands.

There were 15 million jobless in Western countries at the time of the summit. Canada joined the group in 1976, forming the G7.