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President and Members of the Management Committee of the American Jewish Committee,
Prime Minister of Australia,
VicePresident of the Republic of El Salvador,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia,
Dear friends,

Thank you very much for your kind words. I am sincerely grateful for your invitation to participate this evening in the Annual Congress of the American Jewish Committee.

We had an opportunity to share a table last year in this same city; we met again a few weeks ago in Madrid; and today, honoring the commitment that I took on at the time, I am here once more. This is for me an excellent occassion and an honor.

Dear friends,

I would like to share some thoughts with you about the present time in international relations and about some prospects that are opening up before us.

Never before as today has the world faced a reality as bewilderingly volatile.

The international community is facing a great number of challenges. But, at the same time, opportunities are arising of which we can and must take advantage.

Democracy has taken root in areas of the world that only a few decades ago lived under the heel of oppression.

Our generation has been privileged to see how the prospect of freedom and progress in their lives has been restored to millions of people.

Economic openness and inter-relationships between nations have extended opportunities for prosperity to vast numbers of people all over the planet.

But today the thoughts that I would like to share with you touch on three issues of the greatest current importance, which threaten this extension of freedom that I have just mentioned:

terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; " the Middle-East conflict; and " the temptation to divide what has been the bulwark of freedom for over half a century: a strong and healthy transatlantic relationship between Europe and America.

Dear friends,

The September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks were a blow to all consciences. September 11th was a cruel alarm signal that we cannot and must not ignore.

You, the people of the United States, the model of an open and democratic society, are perfectly able to understand that the world cannot remain at the mercy of increasingly globalised terrorism.

If that happened, all would be lost.

If they should succeed in imposing their law of fear, of extortion and blackmail, the very foundations of free societies would be endangered.

But allow me to tell you something: our commitment and our determination are absolute.

We shall not vacillate. We shall not stay still. We shall not lose that battle.

It was in these terms that I had the chance to express my views the day before yesterday to the United Nations Security Council, of which - as you know - Spain forms part as a non-permanent member.

Within the Counter Terrorism Committee, which is chaired by Spain, we are resolved to promote effective measures directed towards eradicating this scourge.

The prospect that terrorist groups may obtain weapons of mass destruction in order to perpetrate unparalleled atrocities is one that we must face steadfastly and with realism.

Terrorism affects us all. That is why it is necessary for all nations to be united in our determination to defeat this threat to our freedoms.

I have had an opportunity to talk about this issue, and many other things, with President Bush.

And we are in agreement about the need for Europe and the United States to work together to preserve international security and stability.

We likewise agree about the advisability of the Atlantic Alliance continuing to be the basic pillar of Western defence.

That explains why Spain gave its full support to the U.S. in combating Al Qaeda terrorism in Afghanistan. That is why there are Spanish soldiers serving today in that country, within the framework of Operation Enduring Freedom.

That explains why my Government supported the multi-national coalition aimed at making Saddam Hussein's regime fulfil its disarmament obligations.

And that is why there are Spanish soldiers in Umm Qasr engaged in tasks of humanitarian and logistical support.

Moreover, more Spanish troops will contribute to security and stabilization tasks in Iraq.

As you are well aware, freedom isn't free, and nor is it permanently guaranteed. And you, as both American citizens and Jewish American citizens, know that twice over.

I do not forget that it was precisely Judaism which first gave humanity the idea of the dignity of the human being as the depositary of rights and duties, of freedom and responsibility. As the psalmist said, "… what is man that thou are mindful of him? … For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels …?"

Therefore, in order that freedom may be truly lasting, it must be vigilant, responsible, and imbued with solidarity.

Without the oppression of Saddam Hussein's regime, the Iraqis can hope for a future of freedom. Their rights will now be respected.

Without Saddam Hussein, the region and the whole world are safer. We can now make progress towards achieving peace and security for all.

Edmund Burke said that whenever your neighbour's house is on fire, you have help put it out before it extends to your own.

This desire to show solidarity contrasts with the policy of washing our hands of other peoples' problems, that you have aptly coined as the "beggar-thy-neighbour-policy".

Dear friends,

President Bush and I talked about the Middle East yesterday, and he asked me to pass on to you two principles that we fully share. The first one is that any policy, any initiative must be based on the security for the State of Israel. The second is that, in this moment, everyone must take on their responsibilities.

And that is why it is essential for Europe and the United States to promote, in collaboration with the parties concerned, the views expressed on many occasions by President Bush advocating two independent and sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, co-existing in peace and security.

The implementation of the so-called "Road Map", jointly adopted by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the UN, in co-ordination with the players directly involved in the region, can wait no longer.

But for that, the first thing must be the end of all terrorist acts.

Israel must be a safe country, where its people can go out into the street, work, or walk about with their families without fear of being murdered or horribly mutilated in a suicide attack. Israel's security is not negotiable.

The Palestinian people also wait impatiently. They have suffered for a long time. They finally now have the right to see their land free of occupation, to see their national aspirations fulfilled.

A Palestinian state, with a leadership committed to democratic values, forgoing terror for ever, and with no reservations about Israel's absolute right to remain permanently in the region, is the best guarantee for Israel's security and for peaceful co-existence between both peoples.

Dear friends,

I am one of those who believe that a solid relationship between America and Europe is the best way to attain more security, more prosperity and more freedom in our societies and throughout the world.

The world functions better and is a safer place when the United States and Europe work side by side. This has been demonstrated by recent history. Let us not forget it.

After what we have lived through in recent weeks, we must strive to reinforce the transatlantic links.

Spain is prepared to assume its responsibilities in this task. It is in the interests of my nation and it is essential for the Europe that Spain defends. I believe that a united, free, strong and peaceful Europe, that shares the same values and principles, is also convenient for the United States.

This is the undertaking, this is the commitment that as President of the Government of Spain, of Sepharad, I am honoured to convey to you today.

In order to set forth my ideas, I could not imagine a better audience than that offered to me this evening by the American Jewish Committee. Besides, we have inaugurated today an exceptional exhibition of our common heritage, the Exhibition about Sepharad.

We are facing one of the fundamental challenges of history. And you, who certainly are in possession of the oldest, and perhaps the best, claim to be the salt of the earth, know that the reason for using salt is to season and invigorate the future. Unfortunately, those who only look back, can run the risk - as happened once before - of being turned into pillars of salt.

Thank you very much.