Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 / July 13

Remarks at a Welcoming Ceremony in Stralsund, Germany July 13, 2006

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. part of them have been restored over time. Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, Minister Presi- But there are still quite a lot of problems dent, Lord Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, that remain to be solved. One of them, citizens of Stralsund, let me say that I am obviously, is the fairly high unemployment delighted to be able to welcome you on in this particular part of the country. They behalf of the representatives of the land urgently need economic progress, an eco- and also of the city. I’m delighted to wel- nomic upturn. And this is why I am also come most warmly the President of the delighted to have you here, to show you United States of America. Mr. President, here in my constituency what it means a very, very warm welcome to you. when people try to take their own fate, Mr. President, I’m delighted to be able their own future into their own hands and to welcome you here in this part of our try to turn it to something positive; they country that I can truly call my political are willing to work for the future of the home, the Hanseatic City of Stralsund. city, for the future of this region. Stralsund was part of the League of And I think it also clearly illustrates what Hanseatic Cities; that is to say, it is imbued we can do together in order to confront with a spirit of openness to the rest of the international dangers, the threats at the the world. And in 1989, it was also one international level that are common to us of the many cities where, on Monday, dem- all, and that we can do in order to, to- onstrations took place, where people went gether, work for peace and freedom for out into the streets to demand freedom, our two countries. to demonstrate for freedom. And we’re Yet again, a very, very warm welcome happy to say in these days it is part of the land of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and to you, Mr. President. also part of the Federal Republic of Ger- President Bush. Thank you all. Thank many. you, Chancellor Merkel. Thank you all for And I think that this is a very good op- coming. Laura and I feel welcome here portunity, indeed, to say a word of thanks. in Stralsund. To the mayor and Minister Thank you for the contribution, for the sup- President and the people of this beautiful port that we have enjoyed throughout from town, we say, guten morgen. the people of the United States of America, For decades, the German people were from the American Government, to help separated by an ugly wall. Here in the East, us along the way towards German unifica- millions of you lived in darkness and tyr- tion. I think we owe you a big debt of anny. Today, your nation is whole again. gratitude for being able to finally live with- The German people are at the center of in one country in peace and freedom, one Europe that is united and free and peace- country, Germany. ful. I think one can safely say that ever since You’ve given Germany a fine Chancellor we were able to achieve German unity, a in Angela Merkel, who I’m proud to call lot has happened and, indeed, Stralsund is friend. The American people and the Ger- a case in point. If you look at the fact man people see the same qualities of char- that when the GDR finally collapsed, you acter in your nation’s leader. We see a bold had about 600 monuments here of historic vision and a humble heart. We see that importance in the city itself that were slow- she’s willing to make hard decisions and ly decaying, that were slowly in ruins, and eager to build strong partnerships. And like

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many others in the international commu- We want to work together to promote free- nity, I respect her judgment and I value dom. There’s so much that we can do, her opinion. working together, and that’s part of my visit It’s such an honor to be in her constitu- today, is to pledge to you and the Chan- ency. When I met with her in the Oval cellor, America and Germany stand side by Office, she said, ‘‘When you come to Ger- side. many, you need to come to one of the Thank you for your warm welcome. May best parts of Germany.’’ She didn’t predict God bless you all. Thank you very much. the weather. [Laughter] But I want to thank the mayor for delivering such a beau- NOTE: The President spoke at approximately tiful day. And she forgot to tell me I was 9:55 a.m. in Stralsund Market Square. In his going to get some herring, and I thank remarks, he referred to Mayor Harald you for that gift. Lastovka of Stralsund, Germany; and Min- I bring a message from the American ister President Harald Ringstorff of the Fed- people: We’re honored to call the German eral State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, people friends and allies. We share com- Germany. Chancellor Merkel spoke in Ger- mon values and common interests. We man, and her remarks were translated by an want to work together to keep the peace. interpreter.

The President’s News Conference With Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany in Stralsund July 13, 2006

Chancellor Merkel. Ladies and gentle- foremost on top of the agenda is certainly men, I am delighted to be able to welcome Iran. The international community actually the President of the United States here to submitted a very substantial, very funda- Stralsund yet again. We had a lengthy con- mental offer to Iran, starting from the firm versation just now in the office of the view that Iran should not be in possession mayor. We felt very much at home here of a nuclear weapon, but that, on the other in this beautiful city hall. We talked about hand, Iran should have—should know good all of the different issues on the global development. So far we have not received agenda. any sort of reaction from the Iranian lead- We shall later on see a little bit more ership as to how their position is on this of the countryside here, of the city itself. offer. I am really pleased to be able to show And this is why it was only consistent to the President of the United States how that yesterday the foreign ministers decided matters have developed here, with some yet again to show clearly, also through a problems still existing but also what sort resolution in the U.N. Security Council, of problems we’ve coped with quite suc- that should Iran not in any way reply to cessfully. And it’s such a great thing to this offer and accept this offer, we unfortu- have this lovely weather for our visits. nately have to embark on a new course. Just now in our talks, we talked at great The door has not been closed, but Iran length about international issues. Unfortu- must know that those who have submitted nately, there are quite a lot of problems this offer are willing—and this is the suc- that we need to deal with and for whose cess of yesterday’s meeting—Russia, China, solution we feel responsible. The first and the E–3, and the United States of America,

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