speeches

Hotel Hessischer Hof, Frankfurt

Sehr geehrte Gräfin zu Solms-Wildenfels,
Sehr geehrter Staatssekretär Abeln,
Dear members of the Steuben-Schurz Society:

Thank you for the invitation to join you tonight for your Thanksgiving dinner. Many of my predecessors have had the pleasure of joining you to celebrate the holiday, so I think we can safely say that we have established a tradition, one that I am honored to continue.

Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, a time to get together with family and friends, preserve family traditions, enjoy a football game or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and eat lots of good food.
More important, it is a time to reflect on our many blessings: the blessings of family, of friends, and the blessing of the four freedoms so eloquently articulated by President Franklin Roosevelt: Freedom of speech and expression; freedom of worship; freedom from want; and freedom from fear. For these freedoms, we all have much to be thankful.

Another thing that I am thankful for is that the United States has friends like you. The Steuben Schurz Gesellschaft plays such an important role in keeping our great German-American relationship alive. Part of that relationship involves discussing the issues of the day and identifying ways that German and American citizens can make a difference.

In thinking about an appropriate topic for this short talk, I decided to take on just a bit more than German-American relations and have a look at the recent elections and what they mean for the big picture of U.S. foreign policy. They mark a decisive moment in American politics, just as Angela Merkel's election last year marked a turning point for Germany.

Let me confess, though, that I raise politics as a topic of discussion with some trepidation. This is, after all, a Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps some of you respect the same rule that applies in many American households – never, ever, discuss politics at the dinner table -- and certainly not at the Thanksgiving table.

But knowing of your lively interest in what is going on in the United States, I believe I can safely depart from the traditions we observe back in the U.S. and talk a bit about the elections and what they mean for U.S.-German relations and for the foreign policy issues that concern us.

The first question I am sure most Germans want to ask is something like, "Will the elections lead to any changes in U.S. policy towards Germany?"

That is something that Ambassador Timken has answered quite clearly, so allow me to quote him here:

The election will change many things in Washington, but President Bush has assured the American people and the world that he wants to make these next two years productive ones.

The Executive Branch, in cooperation with the new Congress, will continue to work with allies to promote our common interests and shared values. Our goal, namely to build on and improve the bilateral relationship between our two great nations, has not changed. The same bipartisanship and common sense for solutions that President Bush has called for carries over to our work at the Embassy in Berlin and our Consulates around the country.

As the ambassador notes, no matter what the results of the elections, the big questions remain with us. On the key issues – Iraq, the Global War on Terror, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, energy security, climate change – the President and his administration have charted a course that we will continue to follow. I would not anticipate dramatic or abrupt changes of direction in American foreign policy. As we look towards resolving some of the tough issues that face us, one thing is certain -- it is more important than ever for Germany and America to work together.

The German-American partnership was the keystone for the remarkable changes that led to the building of a Europe whole and free. The challenges we face today are no less daunting than those we confronted trying to secure a peaceful Europe during the Cold War. Many nations today look to Germany and the United States to exercise leadership in solving a host of difficult issues on the international agenda. And we are doing just that.

Americans and Germans are working side by side to promote democracy in Afghanistan, an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and sustainable development in Africa. AIDS remains a serious problem that requires a global solution, and I was pleased to be able to co-host a lunch with Ambassador Timken last week for leading American and German business leaders from this region who are interested in helping out.

Officials of our two nations are also exploring ways to better protect our citizens from the threat of global terrorism. Both countries' efforts to assist victims of the Asian tsunami, the hurricane on the U.S. Gulf coast, and the earthquake in South Asia are testament to our peoples' commitment to helping others in their time of need.

German troops stand with us, in NATO missions in Afghanistan, the Balkans, and elsewhere to protect freedom within and outside Europe.

So far I have concentrated on traditional foreign policy issues that involve our military and our diplomats. I would be overlooking one of the cornerstones of our robust German-American relationship, though, if I didn’t touch on one of its more important components, and that is the tremendous trade relationship Germany and the U.S. enjoy.
Germany contributes a large portion of the one billion dollars in goods and services that daily - daily! - move across the Atlantic. Foreign direct investment between the U.S. and Germany total over $290 billion.

More than 3,250 German companies operate in the U.S. with an annual turnover of $429 billion. There are more than 1,250 U.S. companies in Germany with a turnover of $214 billion. Behind those figures are people. All together, mutual trade and investment provide over 1.25 million jobs in our two countries. Over half of those jobs are in Germany. That is something I think we should all feel thankful for!

Finally, one of the most important measures of our relationship is how successful we are in sustaining it and passing it on to the next generation. I remain convinced that exchange programs for our young people are one of the best and most effective ways of doing that, and I have some happy news to share with you in that regard.

The number of Germans studying in the U.S. grew slightly for the 2005-2006 academic year, to 8,829 students. This marks the first time we have been able to report an increase since September 11, 2001. The number of Americans studying in Germany has risen as well, to 6,557 students for the 2005-2006 academic year.

Helping young Germans and Americans explore the world of work is an equally effective way of promoting closer bonds between our two countries, and I wish to commend the Steuben-Schurz Society for the important work you have been doing with your USA Interns program. There, too, I understand that the numbers are growing, and I think this bodes well for our common goal of building and sustaining the important relationship that we have.

While we are on the subject of exchange programs for young people, let me take a moment to tell you about one of Ambassador and Mrs. Timken’s initiatives, “Windows on America.” Begun in April of 2006, "Windows on America" provides opportunities for students of immigrant backgrounds who have been traditionally underrepresented in exchange programs between the United States and Germany. Students travel to the United States for a ten-day trip, visiting American cities such as New York, Washington, DC, and Des Moines, Iowa. On their travels, the students are exposed to all aspects of American culture, school, and life. They visit American museums and monuments, tour American high schools, and live with American families in their homes.

We are planning to send a group from the Frankfurt area on this program in the coming year, and I hope that you will all have an opportunity to meet some of the participants after they return. I know that I will enjoy hearing from them about their impressions of the U.S.

All in all, whether we look at education, business, or politics, I would have to say we had a pretty good year last year, and we can look forward to even better things in the year ahead. That is a lot to be thankful for. Thank you again, Madam President and members of the Steuben Schurz Society, for including Steve and me in your celebration.

Happy Thanksgiving.