Ladies, it is not your education, status or personality that has brought you here but the elegance of God which was still and still working upon you.

Let me say this on a personal note. Without the United States of America, I would in all probably not be able to stand here before you today.

In Europe it is particularly important that we build good relations to everyone who holds political responsibility because Europe can only be build together.

If I may, to underline first of all that I am very much impressed that in spite of the very tough election campaign, this transition period in the United States of America follows democratic principles and is all about the American people. It's about the destiny of the American people.

There is anything but an assurance of success, I have to be very clear about that.

To be serious, if we were only interested in earning big money then a politician would have to go and work in industry.

That is why everyone in politics, and we do it, must make sure that they do not depend on one single interest group. A good compromise is one where everybody makes a contribution.