Toespraak bij Onafhankelijkheidsviering VS
Gelegenheid: Viering van de Onafhankelijkheid van de Verenigde StatenLadies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to say a few words at today´s Independence Day celebrations. Let me share a historical fact with you that amazed me when I first learned about it. Did you know that the paper on which the Declaration of Independence was printed in 1776 is of Dutch origin? I had no idea. But the ‘broadsides’ John Dunlap used to print his famous copies of the Declaration on the night of the fourth of July were made around 1770 in the Zaanstreek in Holland. This is one of history’s remarkable little details that points to a much broader historical connection between the United States and the Netherlands.
You can learn more about the Dutch history of the ‘Dunlap broadsides’ at an exhibition at the Schoolmeester paper mill in Westzaan, which opens this Saturday – the fourth of July.
The exhibition is one of the hundreds of activities being organised this year, both in the US and here, to mark four hundred years of shared history. A calendar of all the events is available here today, and I’d personally like to invite you to join in the festivities. New contacts and ideas have mushroomed as a result of the ‘Holland on the Hudson’ celebrations – this special year has reinvigorated our long bonds of friendship. There’s a lot of fresh energy going around, economically, culturally and politically too. And you can all be part of it!
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1609, Henry Hudson and his crew landed on the shores of what is now Manhattan. The first Dutch settlers followed in his wake. New York City’s street names and flag still bear witness to their early presence. But that’s not all. The spirit of American society can partly be traced back to Dutch immigrants, who brought with them open-mindedness, tolerance, an enterprising spirit, free trade, a good work ethic and a strong belief in freedom of speech and freedom of religion. In those early years, many minority groups lived alongside each other. They had the freedom to maintain their own identity and practise their religion, as long as they worked hard and contributed to the greater good. It was a model that worked well for New Amsterdam, with its diverse population. It made New York the cosmopolitan city it is today.
Respect for diversity, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are deeply rooted in American society, which truly reflects those potent words of the Founding Fathers: all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights. Some historians argue that Thomas Jefferson and his fellow drafters drew inspiration from the Dutch Act of Abjuration, written some two centuries earlier. I wouldn’t go as far as to claim copyright, but it’s interesting to see the historic parallels between our two nations.
The values that have united Americans and Dutch people since the early days continue to direct our friendship today. Both our peoples have a strong belief in tolerance, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. We seek to uphold these values at home and abroad – and we do so together. Trans-Atlantic cooperation remains a cornerstone of Dutch foreign policy, and of the EU’s external policy as well.
The Middle East is an important area of cooperation. President Obama has expressed his dedication to a solution that meets the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians through two states, where both live in peace and security. Broad agreement has been voiced on the form such a peace settlement should take; what has been lacking thus far is the political will to make it happen. I was in the region last week and my visit left me all the more convinced that both parties need to be ushered back to the negotiating table. The stalemate must be broken and the parties must escape from the rhetorical traps that stifle the peace process. Europe and the US should work closely together to foster progress. We should set a course together to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to finally make history. Ours is a joint message: Palestinians must abandon violence; Israelis must abandon their settlement policy, and both need to resume their negotiations to reach a final status agreement. Without preconditions, but knowing that the international community will support any agreement they reach. We will offer security guarantees for Israel and we will help the Palestinians build a viable state.
Afghanistan is another area where our close cooperation is starting to bear fruit. I look back at the Afghanistan conference held in The Hague with a great sense of fulfilment: there was wide international agreement on the course to be followed in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Dutch and the Americans have worked hard to foster progress and we are now seeing the results of our integrated approach. Improving Afghanistan's future and denying the Taliban the chance to regain control is a joint endeavour, a joint responsibility that we will not walk away from.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In two weeks’ time, I’ll be joining the Prime Minister on his trip to Washington, where we will meet with President Obama and others. We will discuss Dutch-American cooperation in many different areas: Afghanistan, the Middle East, the Human Rights Council, the climate negotiations in Copenhagen, and so forth. I am very much looking forward to that visit. Because I know that we will get straight down to business. With that practical, results-oriented mindset that is also part of the New Amsterdam philosophy. To paraphrase Florence Nightingale: we should not waste our feelings in words, but we should distil them into actions – and into actions that bring results! This is our common task – and one we gladly undertake together.
Thank you.