The speech made by Derguei Romanovski, on behalf of Mijail Gorbachov.

It is a great honour for me to carry out the personal request of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and President of the USSR Supreme Soviet, Mijail Gorbachov, to collect the 1989 Award for International Cooperation on his behalf, and to express the heartfelt gratitude of the Soviet leader towards the Prince of Asturias Foundation for bestowing this prestigious award on him.

The decision of the Prince of Asturias Award Jury was greeted with satisfaction in the USSR. It is seen as high-ranking approval of the policy of radical internal and international changes that are being made by the Soviet leadership under Mijail Gorbachov, and also as a testimony of understanding and acceptance of his concept of a new political mentality founded upon the priority of mankind's shared, common values and of a balance of interests. Furthermore, it is profoundly significant that this year's Award is jointly shared by two public figures whose tireless activity heralds the future of Europe.

The task of abolishing the division of our continent and of building what in the Soviet Union we call 'the Shared European Household' can only be achieved by a new type of international cooperation, and by overcoming outdated dogmas and distrust through greater mutual understanding, greater trust and a major reduction in the capacity to wage war. In our view, the East and West are equally responsible for making sure that the unprecedented opportunity that now exists for establishing a Europe that is united from the Atlantic to the Urals does not go unheeded. Our continent is undoubtedly destined to provide the world with a new model for collaboration and international, de-militarised, non-ideological, democratic co-existence. The events of recent years provide a basis for hoping that Europe will prove itself capable of rising to this historic challenge. Each and every European, each country and every European organisation must make their individual contribution to so worthy a task.

Spanish-Soviet relations, based upon longstanding feelings of friendship and the mutual appreciation of our peoples, are a fine example of two states contributing to building up this new European friendship. Mijail Gorbachov has asked me to pass on his firm belief in the ongoing development of fruitful links between the Soviet Union and Spain, his feelings of heartfelt friendliness towards your country, and his wish for peace and prosperity for the Spanish people.