To us Germans, this day is obviously one of the most important dates of our recent history, and we therefore celebrate this date as our National Day. German reunification was the most visible result of the end of the Cold War in Europe. It had been made possible by all those who had contributed to reforms in the eastern part of the continent that had eventually ended the communist rule there, especially by those courageous citizens of Eastern Germany and its neighboring states who had stood up to defend their civil rights under the conditions of dictatorship. We gratefully remember their deeds, as well as the support we got at the decisive stages of our reunification process from our political partners in the east, west and south.
Great as the joy was in 1990, so were the challenges that came along with reunification. Especially for the inhabitants of East Germany, the fundamental change of the social system they lived in was not always easy to cope with. The economy and the public infrastructure of the former German Democratic Republic were in urgent need of complete reconstruction. Also, there was the question of how to treat the collaborators of the East German state security services, who had helped to defend the power of the communist party by oppressive means. All of this demanded major efforts from Germans in both parts of the country, and not all the hopes that people had in 1990 could come true. However, 20 years later, we see impressive achievements that have allowed living conditions in East and West Germany to converge to a high degree. Some of the best-equipped universities and research facilities can nowadays be found in the east of the country, and also some of the most attractive investment sites for high technology projects in Europe.
At the German Embassy in Riyadh, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of reunification together with the prime minister of the German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Stefan Mappus, who will come to visit Saudi Arabia with a large delegation of businessmen and university representatives.
This is by far not the first high-level visit from Germany this year: Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel visited Jeddah in May, and Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Guido Westerwelle came to Riyadh in January, to name but the most important of a large number of political delegations which traveled to the Kingdom in 2010. Germany sees Saudi Arabia as a reliable political partner who plays a key role in fostering peace and stability in the region.
We also attach great importance to regular bilateral consultations on global questions with the Kingdom as an influential member of the G20 and a key player in the world economy.
There is great interest both in Germany and Saudi Arabia in further intensifying our trade and economic relations as the world economy is overcoming the effects of the global financial crisis.
Both countries can offer attractive investment opportunities, with German firms offering a wide selection of innovative products for the Saudi market, for example in the fields of renewable energies and environmentally friendly technology. Even though our bilateral trade volume is already substantial, I see there is still a great potential for extending cooperation to our mutual benefit.
Another important area of our relations is the cultural sphere. Here our main focus presently is on education, training and scientific cooperation. We continue our efforts to intensify the exchange between universities. As an example of this, we have a number of German scientists working at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. The number of young Saudis studying in Germany is growing. Vocational training also is a field where we could fruitfully cooperate.
All these activities allow people from both our countries to meet, to get acquainted with each other, and to learn from each other. I am convinced that fostering such contacts and dialogues will lay the ground for further common projects from which we all benefit, including projects in the sciences and technologies of the future.
I would like to extend congratulations and greetings to all German nationals and to all friends of Germany in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the occasion of our National Day. Let us celebrate together the spirit of close relations between our two countries, fostering friendship, understanding and dialogue between our peoples.