Remarks at the Departure Ceremony for Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of Spain

President Gonzalez, it's been an honor to meet with you again and a special pleasure to celebrate this anniversary of the greatest mission ever undertaken beneath the royal banner of Spain, Christopher Columbus' voyage of discovery.

Now, we've had a very good conversation today. I thanked President Gonzalez for his leadership on so many questions, questions involving this hemisphere, questions involving our quest for a successful trade agreement. We thanked him and the rest of the Government of Spain and His Majesty for their foresight in hosting that historic Madrid conference that brought factions together, parties together that had never sat down and talked in the same room before. History will remember that as very farsighted on the part of Spain.

And so it's been a good visit. I told the Prime Minister coming out here that I just wish we had had more time because, in my view, the relations between Spain and the United States have never been better. And we turn to him for advice on many issues. We turn to him with respect for his leadership on many issues.

And so it's been a very friendly visit, an upbeat visit. And I'll let him speak for himself, but I think in terms of the big issues, the big problems facing the world, that President Gonzalez and I, Spain and the United States, see eye to eye on almost every single question.

And so thank you, sir, for coming. And I hope you have a pleasant trip back, and I hope that our paths cross soon again.