Præsident Bill Clinton i København
For more information in english, see the official government website.
[Dette er en afskrift af talerne, således som de blev holdt på Nytorv i København. Ordene er talernes, mens stavning, tegnsætning m.v. er vore.
This is a complete transcript of the speeches at the meeting at Nytorv in Copenhagen. The words are authentic, but spelling, punktuation etc. are ours (and for that we are sorry! :-))]
[Få øjeblikke senere - a few moments later]
Try - Try for at moment to remember how the peoble of the United States made enormous sacrifice to saveguard democracy and freedom in Europe twice in this century.
Or - try to recall Europe of 50 years ago at the end of the 2. world war - where United States and its people so generously gave us the marshall plan to rebuild Europe. Or - try to remember just 10 years ago the Berlin Wall was still there. Today its over - the cold war is over. Earlier this week a new milestone for peace was created at the Nato summit in Madrid. Former enemies are now cooperating in the new Europe, and as You - president - rightly said: We are forming an alliance for the future. We have ended block policy - we have started peace policy. All this could not have been done without the United States and You, mr. President. I think the danes recognize that. (bifald/applause)
There has allways been someone who have said "This is not possible" "Let us give up" "This is not possible" But it IS possible and You have shown us Yourself, mr. President - we can do it and we have shown it together. What makes the difference - it not only words but specific actions to follow the words. President - Your country, Your People under Your leadership make that difference. Politics can make a difference - You ARE the difference, President. (bifald/applause)
There will be no automatic formular for the future, as there where no automatic formular for the past. To tackle the problems for the future and to meet the demands. We have ended wars between nations, but peace can never be taken for granted. New challenges will face us in the future - new cross-frontier problems, ethnic conflicts, international crimes. There is one condition - and one fundamental condition to meet these challenges. That is political will, visions, courage and decisiveness. And You - President - You have shown us this courage. The United States and Denmarks has so much together. We are so close friends because we share the same values on human rights. And sometimes we share them quite alone - but we share them and we fight for them. Opportuneties for all people. We share the wish for an undevided, democratic and free Europe, including all states in the Baltic Region. The President .... (her afbrydes han af bifald/applause)
The President of the United States could not have come to Denmark at a more historical and decisive moment. The peaceful future is ours because we wish so - and because we have decided so. Because we want the american people to stay with us - to form the alliance of the future - And mr. President - You can still count upon us - We are prepared to do our part of the job. We are prepared to do our part ... and take our ... take our part of the share.
We welcome the president of peace to Denmark - Ladies and Gentlemen. The President of the United States, Bill Clinton!
(Stort bifald/long applause)
Mr. primeminister and Lone, Madam viceprimeminister and mr. Jelved, Lord Mayor, Madame chair of the Counsel. Ladies and gentlemen of Denmark! Thank You for the wonderful welcome.
(bifald/applause)
I would also like to express my thanks to all of those who entertained you with music before we began - Thank you all very much.
Let me say, that I am delighted to be the first sitting american president ever to visit Denmark. I had planned to come earlier, as some of you know, but I injured my leg, and I thank you for allowing me to wait to my leg healed. So the first "sitting" american president could also be a standing, american president. (bifald/applause)
When I first visited Copenhagen in 1969, I was just one student among many, who where travelling here. But in all the years since, I have never forgotten the beauty of this city or the warmth of the danish people - and it is very good to be back.
We gather ... We gather here today at the end of what will long be remembered as a week in which af new era of promise was launched for all Europe. It is the bond between our two nations and the bond of the alliance of all nations in the North Atlantic Alliance that has brought us to this moment of hope and possibility at the dawn of at new century. This week in Madrid we adopted Nato to meet the new security challenges of the 21st. century. They will face us all: Ethnic hatred, weapons of mass destruction, terrorisme, drug running. Things that cross national boarders. We invited 3 new nations from central Europe to join Nato - we open the door to all the regions to democrati. We forge closer ties with our partners througout the continent. Together we have now moved closer to realising our 50 year old dream: A Europe undevided, democratic and at peace.
For the very first time since nationstates arouse on this continent. And I thank the government and the people of Denmark for their leadership in realising this vision.
(bifald/applause)
Americas unbroken ties with the kingdom of Denmark are the oldest we have with any nation in the world. The american people have benefitted beyone measure. In the story of danish writers like Karen Blixen and Peter Hoeegh, in the philosophy of Kierkegaard, whom I've been told once lived on this very square - in the fables of Hans Christian Andersen, who teaches our children, that emporers sometimes has no clothes - but that ugly ducklings can turn into swans. It is said, that every dane has a cousin in america - Today I can tell you: All americans know they have af friend in Denmark.
(bifald/applause)
Above all I want thank Denmark for the extraordinary example you have sat for being af force for good far beyon your numbers. Denmark may be a small nation, but you are a very large reason why I believe, that we are on the verge of a great new age of possibilities.
First Denmark has been a pioneer in showing how a nation can succeed - both in creating af strong economy and a good society, that provide opportuneties for all its citizens and supports those in need, a society bound together by shared values and respect for real differences. We can all learn from your efforts - to educate your people for a lifetime - to give them the tools to make the best of their own lives in at time of global economic and technologic change.
Second You have shown us the power of a nation that acts with compasion and humanity. During world war II Denmarks rescue of its jewish citizens from deportation in death camps set a standard for moral courage, that will stir the harts of free people for ever. Denmark has always made overcoming barriers a national mission, and that is the third point I want to make:
A thousand years ago your seafaring ancestors pushed back the barriers of the known world. You are still doing that. Just as Tyco Brahe mapped the structure of the heaven and Niels Bohr charted the inner workings of the atom. The danish people time and time again reached beyon borders and go on. Over that last half century you have looked past the borders of this prosperous land and made the freedom and well being of others your concern. Leading the global effort to let people out of poverty, far away from here - standing up for human rights around the world. As the prime minister said "sometime almost alone". Standing agains those, that practise terror against the innocent. Denmark provide more peacekeepers proportional than any other nation in the entire world, and I hope your'all very proud of that!
(bifald/applause)
You were among the first to heed Bosnia's call - Despite the loss of brave, danish soldiers while the war raged, you have never wavered. For your unshakeable commitment to peace - and for all you do - I have come her to say on behalf of the american people - We thank you!
(bifald/applause)
Now - we must draw on your example to finish the work overcomming the greatest barriers of our time: The division of Europe. And this past week we have shown we can do it - not by force of arms, but by the power of peace. This week we have seen the face the new Europe - in Madrid during our Nato summit. We saw 44 countries from all corners of the continent come to Madrid and forge a common future, we saw the most succesful defensive alliance in history reach out its hand to new members and extend its hand to Ukraine and to Russia. Now our partners in building a bright future. We saw nations large and small, new democracies and old ones joined to clear a way free of old blocks of nations, to build new bonds and partnerships. In Poland, one of 3 nations invited to join the alliance, we saw the joy of the people, at last secure in their freedom and sure of their place in Europe. People, who seize their moment and changed the course of their history an who now sound ready to guaranty af future of freedom to others. Yesterday in Bucarest Rumania, a nation we believe soon will be ready to join our alliance, we saw the faces of a people - over a hundred thousend of them - who freed themselves from yesterdays tyrany, and are just as determined to seize the promise of tomorrow.
I thank Denmark for rising to this moment - especially I thank you for reaching out to Estonia, Latvia an Lithuania, for helping them to fortify their economies, to strengthen their democracies, to establish the Baltic Batallion and to take their place in the new Europe. By bridging the expansion of the Baltic Sea you helped to close the great gap in history. Throughout the nation....
(bifald/applause)
Throughout the nations of our alliance there is a Europe of visionary leaders with af profound sense of mission and a unity, some said would not be sustained, Nato has succeeded beyon expectations. Today america is grateful to our 15 remarkable allies for their perseverance and friendship, for their leadership in turning the blodiest continent in the 20th century into a continent free, undivided at peace and full of hope for the young people in this audience, and far beyon these boarders in the 21st century. Today I ask all of you assembled here, throughout this land, across Europe and in America: Let us all keep freedoms bright light and advance the work of the extraordinary atlantic community. Let us bring down the barrier to a better future for all people on this continent. Let us close history's divide, let us create a 21st century of opportunity, security, peace and freedom, for the children of Denmark, Europe and the United States. It can be the greatest time in all human history.
We must follow your past excample into the future. Thank You - and God bless you!
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