WASHINGTON---Former First Lady Nancy Reagan--a former actress--saluted her friend, Elizabeth Taylor, who died Wednesday at the age of 79 as "truly a legend."

Mrs. Ronald Reagan---that is her preference--said in a statement, issued from Los Angeles, "Elizabeth Taylor was a dear friend. I knew her from our days together at MGM when she was just a teenager, and I watched her grow into one of Hollywood's finest actresses. She was passionate - and compassionate - about everything in her life, including her family, her friends, and especially the victims of the AIDS. She was truly a legend and we will miss her."