Your Royal Highness,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mr. Delors is deeply conscious of the honour paid to him by your Foundation through the award of the Prince of Asturias Prize for International Cooperation. This is a cause to which he is strongly committed and to which he attaches the highest importance personally.

First, as President of the Commission of the European Communities, Mr. Delors has devoted his energy in collaboration with the Member States to the constructions of a solid and dynamic European Community in fulfilment of an idea which has found a strong place in the minds and hearts of millions of European fellow citizens in recent years. The European construction has not been easy and has only been made possible by the cooperation of many states and interests.

It is also the case that, contrary to the views of some pessimists, the enlargement of the European Community, most recently through the enlargement of Spain and Portugal, h as markedly increased the dynamism of our Community and enlarged its horizons by the influx of new ideas and historical links. We live in a European Community, which has clearly regained its vigour and increased its internal cohesion both on the economic and social plans.

Secondly, this Community as the major trading power of the world and the inheritor of a remarkable intellectual and cultural diversity has inevitably a large and growing role in the world. Under Mr. Delors' leadership as President of the Commission, we attach a high priority to the development of the links with our partners across the globe, no only because of trade and aid but because of the rich legacy of human values for which we stand.

It is in this spirit, Your Royal Highness, Excellencies, Ladie and Gentlemen that I accept on behalf of Mr. Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities, this honour which you have bestowed on him.