Details

Inivited by the Hypothekenbank Essen AG as the key-note speaker for two dinner forums former Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl visited New York and Boston during the time from the 19th to the 23rd of June. In this context the Washington office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation organized a political information program for Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl. Among others he met with former US-President George H.W. Bush and his security advisor General Brent Scowcroft, former US-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and Father Leo O´Donovan, Emeritus of the Georgetown University. In his two key-note speeches on the German-American partnership Kohl reminded, that only a very close alliance between the European Union and the United States of America can preserve worldwide security and peace. Especially Germany has every reason to be grateful to the U.S.. The Chancellor mentioned the Marshall-Plan, the Berlin blockade and the reunification. Only the involved trust and recognition from both sides made the German reunification possible, he said. “This great symbol of friendship obliges us, to stand side by side with the Americans in hard times”. As Kohl stated, the war against terrorism is not only a matter for the U.S., but a task for the whole civilized world. The 500 representatives from politics and economy interrupted the speeches several times by honoring Kohl with standing ovations. The Chancellor underlined the growing importance of the European Union after the introduction of the Euro and the integration of Eastern European countries. According to him the Euro is already a story of success. The economy of the European Union leads the world in exports and has the second largest gross domestic product right after the USA.

In his view the European Union was manifested by the European economic and monetary union Helmut Kohl offered a positive résumé for the last century and appealed to continue building the “European House” with optimism and passion and to cultivate and extend the German-American friendship.

Click here to read the English version of the key-note address