[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     AMBASSADOR RICHARD N. GARDNER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 1997

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Richard N. Gardner has just 
completed 4 years as United States Ambassador to Spain. His 
distinguished service in Madrid follows an earlier assignment as United 
States Ambassador to Rome.
  I would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues an editorial 
in the July 1, 1997 edition of the Madrid daily El Pais. This editorial 
is a real tribute to Dick Gardner and the extraordinary job he did 
while serving the United States overseas. We are indebted to Ambassador 
Gardner for his many contributions to the national interest and for the 
excellent service he gave to the broadening and deepening United 
States-Spanish relations. Transatlantic ties have been strengthened by 
his leadership.
  I commend the editorial to my colleagues attention:

                         A Fortunate Ambassador

                      (By Miguel Herrero de Minon)

       The U.S. Ambassador, Professor Gardner, and his wife, 
     Danielle, will soon conclude their mission in our country. 
     The time for farewells is the time for praise and the 
     Gardners have made so many friends here, and even established 
     family ties, that they will receive more than enough 
     accolades. That is why I only want to bear witness to a 
     simple, objective fact: Ambassador Gardner has been a 
     fortunate ambassador, and good fortune, an excellent 
     attribute for the one who has it and, particularly in the 
     position he holds, requires two ingredients: specific 
     circumstance and the ability to be able to navigate through 
     to a safe port. The former is mere chance; the latter comes 
     through character; good fortune consists of building a 
     destination between the two.
       The circumstance of Gardner's embassy in Spain is no less 
     than the maturation of the U.S.-Spanish relationship, which 
     led naturally to it becoming a truly ``special'' one. I think 
     I was the first, now a number of years ago, to suggest this 
     term, remarking that of all the countries in the European 
     Union with the exception of the United Kingdom, Spain is 
     potentially the one that has the most interests in common 
     with the United States. Accordingly, the sometimes 
     embarrassing security relationship begun over 40 years ago, 
     has been growing while increasing economic, cultural, 
     strategic and political ties have come to light. Massive 
     student and teacher exchanges contributed to making Spain 
     better known in the U.S. and to doing away with mistrust 
     here; the restoration of democracy in our country opened the 
     way to fuller cooperation, and the Gulf War marked a basic 
     turning point, at least in Spanish public opinion.
       But Gardner has had the historic opportunity to contribute 
     decisively during these important recent years, to the 
     acceleration and maturation of this trend, by preparing 
     visits at the highest level in both directions, and 
     collaborating in common, bilateral and multilateral 
     undertakings, bringing the two societies closer together with 
     better knowledge of each other. It was during his tenure that 
     President Clinton launched the Transatlantic Agenda in Madrid 
     and, also in Madrid with the Spaniard Solana at the helm, 
     Atlantic Alliance reform took place, not to mention good 
     political collaboration in other areas of mutual interest. It 
     was also when economic and trade relations were intensified 
     between out two countries, and educational and cultural 
     relations between our two societies.
       Gardner has been not only the representative of one Nation 
     and its Government in another, but also an excellent mediator 
     between two societies. He has come to learn and to teach, 
     opened up possibilities and launched institutions, mobilized 
     initiatives that in many cases are more private than public. 
     His professional talents--the ability to turn Embassy 
     breakfasts into seminars--and his intellectual talents--he 
     has even enriched our bibliography with a masterpiece of 
     economic-diplomatic history--have served his mission well, as 
     has his liberal patriotism in the best tradition of American 
     internationalism--as opposed to unilateralism and 
     isolationism--which has always held that the implementation 
     of manifest destiny involves making oneself known, understood 
     and making friends.
       The growing number of Spaniards who believe in the Atlantic 
     community will miss him, because good fortune, doing such a 
     good and timely job, is a rare and beneficent attribute.

     

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