George H.W. Bush: “January 1, 1992 Mr. Premier, thank you, sir. I prepared rather extensive remarks I'd hoped to give, but the Premier said…”

“January 1, 1992 Mr. Premier, thank you, sir. I prepared rather extensive remarks I'd hoped to give, but the Premier said we're making short remarks here at lunch. So, I tore up this. I will forego these, but simply to say that Barbara and I first want to thank everyone involved for this extraordinary hospitality. There is no way that I can tell you what it feels like to travel with so little hostility on the street. And I'm starting right at home, you know. [Laughter] I'm a man that knows every hand gesture you've ever seen--[laughter]--and I haven't learned a new one since I've been here, so something is terribly wrong. [Laughter] Because we just feel a genuine warmth from the people along the way, right from the airport into town. And then this morning I went running, and early birds, those that were sober enough to get up, were out there waving away. And so, it has been a really heartwarming experience for us to be back. I will note that this relationship is of fundamental importance to the United States. I also know that there's some apprehension in this part of the world--here, then north to the ASEAN countries, maybe even in Japan, possibly in Korea--about the United States role in the world.…”