Captain King,
Dear Doyen,
Dear Honorary Consul,
Mr Vice President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to Hamburg and to the Guest House of the Hamburg Senate!
For almost 60 years, the Senate has been inviting special guests to this traditional merchant villa to honour them and their relationship with our city.
The first guest the Hamburg Senate welcomed here was Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit to Germany in 1965. It was the first visit by a member of the British Royal Family since the end of the Second World War and the liberation of Germany, in which Britain played a major role. The whole city greeted her with excitement and deep gratitude.
It is an honour for me now to welcome the flagship of the Royal Navy, “HMS Queen Elizabeth”, which she christened ten years ago. Many Hamburg citizens came to see "Queen Elizabeth" approach the Cruise Centre Steinwerder.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The growing geopolitical tensions in the world require Europe to take a stronger stand for its security and defence. For the first time since the Cold War, NATO is again facing a direct military threat. The UK is one of the Alliance's strongest members and a key supporter of Ukraine.
In August, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to strengthen the European contribution to NATO and intensify cooperation between the German and British armed forces. In October, the German and British defence ministers, Boris Pistorius and John Healey, met in London to implement a joint security and defence strategy known as the "Trinity House Agreement".
The presence of the Royal Navy's flagship in Hamburg is a powerful statement for the common European security policy.
With Europe's third largest seaport and an international airport, the city of Hamburg is a key logistics hub in Northern Europe and a central point in the German motorway and rail network. Our transport routes are vital for trade and industry, as well as for the movement of military equipment and the deployment of NATO troops.
The German and British navies work closely together in NATO. They conduct joint exercises and cooperate in the training of officers and cadets. In the Channel Committee, which met in Hamburg in early November, our navies regularly discuss maritime challenges in the North Sea and the English Channel.
On behalf of the Hamburg Senate I would like to thank the Royal Navy for this good cooperation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The city of Hamburg has had a close relationship with Britain for centuries. Indeed, Hamburg is said to be the most British city on the continent, which we take as a compliment.
I look forward to personally visiting “Queen Elizabeth” on Thursday. Thank you for this opportunity.
I wish you and all the crew of “HMS Queen Elizabeth” a wonderful time in Hamburg.