    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [February 20, 1991]
    [Pages 156-157]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 156]]

    Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
    February 20, 1991

        The President. Let me welcome you back to the United States of
    America. Your own motto aptly describes your role, ``God's help, the
    people's love, Denmark's strength.'' It's a privilege to greet you as an
    ally and a friend.
        You and Prince Henrik were here last in 1976, when President Ford
    noted how America has maintained uninterrupted relations with Denmark
    since 1801. These 190 years represent one of the oldest relationships
    that the United States has had with any country. We have much in common;
    we stood by each other in peace and in war. Our meeting today will
    enhance a relationship which already links our history and our hearts.
        You were educated in Denmark, England, and France, and speak five
    languages. And still, we know that there must be a universal language, a
    commitment to the liberty and dignity of the individual, freedom, and
    democracy, the rule of law, and the right of all people and States to
    live in peace. Both our countries realize that freedom is never finally
    won; rather, each generation must secure that blessing for itself and
    for those who follow.
        During World War II, your countrymen organized a strong and noble
    resistance. Denmark protected most of its Jewish population from the
    horrors of the Holocaust. And after the war, this legacy helped Denmark
    join America as a founding member of NATO, strengthening our historic
    ties with the multilateral bonds of an historic alliance. For decades,
    Denmark and America have known that to protect our own freedom we must
    maintain the freedom of others.
        Your Majesty was born 1 week after Denmark was occupied in 1940. And
    you know that self-determination often carries a price. And so, it is no
    surprise that when the freedom of Kuwait came under attack, Denmark
    joined the multinational coalition. You knew that naked aggression must
    not stand. And today, a Danish warship, the Corvette Olfert Fischer, is
    deployed in the Gulf.
        You seek to strengthen the international community sanctions against
    the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. And today, also, Denmark is assisting the
    victims of war, sending a medical team to the coalition forces in Saudi
    Arabia, readying a hospital in Europe for evacuated casualties, helping
    refugees from Kuwait and Iraq.
        Denmark stands up for freedom. Danish forces have distinguished
    themselves in United Nations peacekeeping missions all over the globe.
    And Denmark has taken a firm and principled stand in support of the
    Baltic peoples and their democratically-elected governments. Both
    Denmark and the United States have spoken out against the use of force
    in the Baltics and in support of a return to peaceful and constructive
    negotiations.
        Historically, Denmark and America have shared a commitment to
    strengthen democratic processes that has never been stronger. Nor has
    our joint belief that real peace means the triumph of freedom, not
    merely the absence of war.
        A Danish proverb notes that peace and a well-built house cannot be
    bought too dearly. Together we are building a house of peace in Europe,
    espousing the cause of hope and human dignity, a cause that is right and
    good. And for that I thank you.
        I welcome Denmark's Queen Margrethe II, and her consort, Prince
    Henrik, to Washington as very special guests of the United States. The
    Danes say proudly that if the monarchy were abolished--I hope this won't
    embarrass you--the Queen would win the Presidency by a landslide. And
    surely, the year-long jubilee of the Queen's birthday showed Denmark's
    love of this artist, translator, stage designer, archeologist, and
    ruler, as it has also of Prince Henrik, whose work in the business and
    charity, diplomacy, and the environment has won him the esteem of the
    Danish people and the respect of the United States and many other
    countries as well.

    [[Page 157]]

        So, Your Majesty, let me welcome you back to the White House and
    wish you a very happy and productive visit. And may God bless Denmark
    and the United States of America.
        Queen Margrethe. Mr. President, the Prince Consort and I have looked
    forward to our first state visit to your country with warm expectancy.
    So many close ties bind the United States and Denmark together. Our two
    countries have maintained diplomatic relations for almost 190 years, the
    longest uninterrupted relationship, I am told, of the United States with
    any other state.
        But far more important than the duration of the official
    relationship are the innumerable personal ties between Americans and
    Danes and the values that we share. For more than a generation, in fact,
    as long as I can remember, the United States and Denmark have been
    partners or have otherwise cooperated in many fields. We need only
    mention our membership with the United Nations and our partnership in
    NATO that remain two of the fundamentals of the foreign policy of both
    our countries.
        The Prince Consort and I have just spent 2 delightful days at
    Williamsburg. Though the distance between the capital of colonial
    Virginia and Washington, DC, is short, it is nevertheless a journey in
    time, for it spans the history of the United States from early
    republican time to the present day. And it is striking how all through
    the years one thing has remained unchanged: the dedication of your
    country and its people to the ideals proclaimed in the Declaration of
    Independence and enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.
    Those ideals are values that we share.
        And however troubled the present times may be, it is heartening to
    see how the dedication to common values is able to rally so many nations
    of the international community when the United Nations calls upon them.
        Mr. President, the reception which you have given to me and the
    Prince Consort here just now makes an impressive beginning to our stay
    as your guests. Thank you very much.

                        Note: The President spoke at 10:14 a.m. on the South
                            Portico of the White House, where Queen
                            Margrethe was accorded a formal welcome with
                            full military honors. In his remarks, he
                            referred to Prince Henrik, the Queen's husband.
                            Following the ceremony, the President and the
                            Queen met in the Oval Office.