Bush, Gorbachev, Kohl speeches to mark anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall

(31 Oct 2009) 1. German President Horst Koehler shaking hands with former US President George H.W. Bush, former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl (in middle) and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (on right) seated in audience 2. Close of Chancellor Angela Merkel in audience 3. Wide of Gorbachev, Bush senior, and Kohl on stage 4. Audience applauding 5. Close of Kohl applauding 6. Close of Gorbachev 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) George H.W. Bush, Former US President: "The wall could never erase your dream, our dream, of one Germany, a free Germany, a proud Germany. It has thankfully regained its rightful place among the leading nations on the Earth." 8. Close of Kohl listening 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) George H.W. Bush, Former US President: "I have no doubt - zero - that historians will recognise Mikhail for his rare vision and unfailing commitment to reform and openness despite the efforts of those who had resisted change and ignore the call of history. Today we have a fuller appreciation of tremendous pressure Mikhail faced during that pivotal time, and through it all he stood firm. Which is why he will also stand tall when the history of our time in office is finally written." 10. Wide of stage with Gorbachev, Bush senior, and Kohl 11. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet leader: "By this I don't want to deny that all of us who somehow were involved, in some ways made a contribution. But the main heroes are the Russians and Germans, I also congratulate them on this occasion." 12. Close of Merkel listening 13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet leader: "I think the Americans need their own Perestroika. I remember a huge hall with thousands of people there, somewhere in the Midwest of America, everybody stood up and burst into applause." 14. Wide of event 15. SOUNDBITE: (German) Helmut Kohl, Former German Chancellor: "Us Germans do not have too many reasons throughout our history to be proud. Those years during which I was chancellor, which I experienced from the end of the 50s, I have every reason beneath all the troubles and worries to be proud of. I have nothing better to be proud of than being proud of German unity." 16. Gorbachev and Bush Senior applauding 17. Various shots of standing ovation 18. Pan from stage to audience applauding STORYLINE: Three statesmen who oversaw the fall of the Berlin Wall that led to the collapse of communism in Europe gathered on Saturday in Germany's capital to reflect on the changes they helped usher in 20 years ago. Former US President George H.W. Bush; the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev; and former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl were honoured at a ceremony in Berlin. It recalled how the three leaders carried the hope that had built on East Germany's streets and turned it into a political reality - the end to more than 40 years of animosity and division reflected in the concrete barrier that snaked across Berlin. The event was hosted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, associated with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's and Kohl's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Merkel attended the event, but did not speak. Kohl, 79, who went on to become the first chancellor of a reunited Germany, appeared the most visibly moved by the moment, when recalling the heady days that led up to the November 9, 1989, collapse of the wall and Washington's and Moscow's willingness to let it fall. He said he had nothing to be more proud of than German reunification. The 78-year-old Russian said it was difficult, noting that even the initial working relationship between him and Kohl was thorny. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   #gorbachev #kohl #bush #berlinwall You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...