My Lord Mayor, Helmut KohlHerr Bundeskanzler, Prime Minister, My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen:
First, may I thank you, my Lord Mayor, for the beautiful gift of porcelain. I collect it and it will indeed be treasured both for its own beauty and for the memories which I shall have of this wonderful reception today. May I thank you for arranging this ceremony and for your kind words.
I am delighted to visit this great city which, as you have indicated, has played such a central part in Germany's tradition and history. For many centuries, this was the town in which German kings were elected and it is fitting that we meet in the Hall of Emperors. We also visited the Pals Kirche which was the home of the first German Parliament.
Since the Middle ages, Frankfurt has been known for its great fairs and nowadays in particular for the International Book Fair. Many of the great names of Germany's history have connections with Frankfurt. You, of course, have mentioned them my Lord Mayor. Indeed, my researches have produced the same result as your speech, but may I nevertheless pay my brief tribute to them. [end p1]
Johann Gutenberg, the inventor of the printing press set up shop here in the 15th century. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born and worked here, giving Europe some of its greatest literature and we visited his house today and were told there too of the great admiration he had for Shakespeare and the way in which he took some inspiration from that great poet's work.
The names which I mentioned are so much a part of the great intellectual and cultural contribution which your city and Germany have made to Europe. One feels in the presence of history here.
I know that your city suffered terrible destruction in World War II, but you rebuilt and created something new, which still preserved a spirit of Frankfurt's ancient greatness and history.
Now, you are known as a great financial centre, among the greatest in Europe, but not quite! We think we know a thing or two about these matters in London!
One thing which I find particularly encouraging is to know that already in 1832, more than 150 years ago, there existed—as you mentioned My Lord Mayor—a free trade agreement between Frankfurt and Great Britain. The text is still here in your city archives and it is a very good precedent for 1992. [end p2]
We know of your great musical tradition and we shall hear something of it in this evening's concert in the Alte Oper. I also know how much you spend on your musical and cultural life in the city—fully 11 percent of the city budget! The reason I know is because I picked up a book about Frankfurt and read that this scale of public spending would give Mrs. Thatcher a heart attack! Fortunately, my heart is stronger than the author thought. Nevertheless, this evening we shall hope to profit from this expenditure, but more important, the wonderful talents that you have gathered together for a marvellous concert this evening.
My Lord Mayor, I am most grateful for your hospitality as are all my colleagues as we assemble here for this very important Anglo-German Summit, and I look forward to it. I think it is an excellent precedent to hold these Summits outside the capital city and one which we should follow.
May I wish you and all the citizens of Frankfurt success and good fortune.
My Lord Mayor, the present I have for you has not yet come but it is very much in my heart—oh, it is going to be in my hands in a moment! Thank you very much! (applause)