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German Youth and President [OA 4425]
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323154677
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German Youth and President [OA 4425]
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13880-014
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mary Kate Grant Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Grant, Mary Kate, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1988-1991
OA/ID Number:
13880
Folder ID Number:
13880-014
Folder Title:
German Youth and the President,
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
19
2
7
5
This needs to be
cut way back
made
REMARKS AT MEETING WITH GERMAN YOUTH
less condescending
Thank you Dr. Suessmuth. I appreciate very much your
inviting me to your home today. It is just the right place to
meet It reminds us that home and family are at the center of
our lives.
Dr. Suessmuth, I had heard how popular you were with German
young people, and I think I understand why. It's obvious how
concerned you are about young people. I have been very
impressed by what your country does for youth -- your
vocational education programs, for example.
I'm concerned too. I think the most important efforts of
my Administration are those directed at our youth -- to improve
education at all levels, to eradicate drug use, to give young
people the chance to use their energies for community service.
But we also have to ask what young people are concerned
about. That's why I welcome the chance to meet and talk with
young Germans and young Americans staying in this country.
It's something I do as often as I can in the United States.
-2-
People your age always give me a new slant on whatever we
discuss. You see the world with a fresh vision; you pose
sharp, frank questions. I hope to get some today. You are our
future that S literally true, so it can be a cliche We
count on you to do things that we never thought of; but also
hope you will carry on what we have spent our lives trying to
accomplish. For both reasons, you have an important part to
play in relations between the United States and the Federal
Republic.
German-American friendship is important - and it's real.
The peace and prosperity we enjoy today are the fruits of this
friendship. When we have differences, they are the differences
of friends. However, friendship is something you have to work
at -- and it is youth, most of all, who can carry on the
continuing business of friendship between our countries. It is
also young people who are quickest to recognize that the world
is changing -- that if we are to remain friends, we have to
devise new ways of working together.
We have had forty productive years of German-American
friendship. That friendship was built by a postwar generation
who, because of their own experiences, understood the need for
willitconting?
-3-
German-American cooperation. This generation is leaving the
stage. We must work to ensure that younger people will remain
committed to strong ties between our two countries. It is on
young people that we must depend to keep German-American
relations relevant to a changing world and to keep our
relations a vital force.
To do that, we have to understand each other. That is why
exchange programs are so important -- especially programs like
those in which you have been or are taking part, managed by
some of
such organizations as the American Field Service, Youth for
these
Understanding, and the Experiment in International Living. I
programs existed
taken
wish I had had an opportunity like that at your age. But the
then
opportunity also implies a responsibility.
(AFS)
It is people like yourselves who will become the spokesmen
for German-American relations --- the diplomats and professors
and journalists who will help us understand and deal with each
other. Even those of you who don't take up some career
directly related to German-American relations can contribute --
because friendship between our two countries has to be founded
on friendship between Germans and Americans in every walk of
life. I have said again and again that what counts in American
-4-
society is what ordinary people do -- my famous "thousand
points of light" -- and the same is true in international
relations, especially between countries like ours, whose ties
are deep and varied.
Germans and Americans share a great deal -- common values,
a common culture. But we are also different and I think we
have a lot to learn from each other. We can help each other
we have real chance to
solve the most pressing questions of our time. We can work to
end the cold War - whole root cause is
close the East-West divide that has torn Germany and Europe and
the world in two. We know something new is happening in the
East. We see an opportunity, and don't intend to miss it,
either by foot-dragging or by acting hastily and foolishly.
Prudence and realism will define our course.
reduction.
The same goes for arms control. We're looking for solid
achievements that will make both West and East more secure,
more confident, which will really help us maintain peace.
Believe me, I never met a military weapon I liked -- and I will
never hesitate to get rid of one I think is useless. We want
the Soviets to do the same, of course. A few weeks ago, our
Navy decided to get rid of two different nuclear weapons
because they did not have a job to do any longer. NATO over
-5-
a stable balance to of
maintain power in Empe,
unilaterally
the last ten years has reduced 2,400 nuclear weapons
At the
same time, we are determined to have what we need to protect
freedom.
our security and our values.
The environment is another terribly important issue. We
have to sustain and improve the quality of the air we breath
and the water we drink and the land the God has entrusted to
us. We are determined to ensure environmentally sound disposal
of hazardous wastes, to protect the ozone layer, to stop
deforestation and to respond sensibly to the greenhouse
effect. We want to see the environment preserved so that my
generation and yours and future generations can use and enjoy
our natural bounty. But here again, we need close
German-American cooperation: Many of the problems that we face
in the environment are global problems. We have to work
together to broaden the worldwide consensus to protect the
environment. We must find ways to do this without stifling
economic growth. We need both for a better life for people all
over the world.
I have just come from speaking with Chancellor Kohl. He is
as serious as I am about coming to grips with problems like
these. He is also committed to maintaining the friendship
between young people in our two countries. He is taking
-6-
important initiatives to develop German-American educational
and youth exchanges still further. And I know, Dr. Suessmuth,
that the Bundestag is just as concerned. It has proved that by
making new opportunities available for young Germans to study
in the United States, and by its generous support of the
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program. Believe me, we on
the American side intend to work just as hard to base the
friendship between our two countries firmly on the future.
But that's enough. I said I wanted to find out more about
what concerns you. Give me you questions; I'll do my best to
answer them.
UNCLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
GRANT
BRIEFING PAPER
MEETING WITH GERMAN AND AMERICAN YOUTH
SETTING
The official residence of Dr. Rita Suessmuth, the President
of the Bundestag, is located in a primarily residential
area of the Bonn suburb of Bad Godesberg. It is a large
old mansion set in an attractive garden directly
overlooking the Rhein.
The President's meeting is planned to be held in the rather
small "living room" of the house.
Upon arrival, the President will be greeted by President
Suessmuth. She will escort him into the residence and to
the meeting room, where introductions will be made.
The President and Dr. Suessmuth will make brief remarks,
and then the President will take questions and participate
in discussion.
OBJECTIVES
The key U.S. objective is to emphasize that the U.S. and
the FRG share a strong common concern for the needs and
aspirations of young people.
The President also may wish to emphasize the role that the
younger generation can and must play in maintaining and
strengthening close German-American friendship.
The event should also underscore the degree to which German
and American young people share common concerns.
UNCLASSIFIED
Lead advance:
ED MURNAME
5563 Centrex
220 Drop
STEVE Ross press
17-20 yrs old
14 kids
no podium
A from him
Dr Senss muth - woman
next President
mid. - 50's -
head of the Senate
Lenny Cherson - site advance.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Date:
TO:
FROM:
The attached is for:
Per our conversation
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