Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It gives me great pleasure as Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Sweden to welcome you to our Independence Day celebration, which marks our 228th birthday.

True, this is not July 4th, but holding this earlier is easier than moving our reception to Stockholm's archipelago.

This is an occasion when we Americans stop to celebrate our freedoms and remind ourselves of the blessings of liberty. Our flag here at the Embassy remains at half-mast for former President Ronald Reagan who reminded us that "there is no greater good than the quest for peace and no finer purpose than the preservation of freedom."

Ronald Reagan lived to see a vast expansion of freedom and democracy throughout the world, particularly here in Europe. And that freedom has given millions hope for a better future.

Today, millions more, who have lived for decades under oppressive regimes, are taking the initial steps to build free and democratic governments where none have existed before. This is not an easy task, but it is worthy our efforts to help them achieve this goal.

We are grateful to Sweden for its contributions in Afghanistan, where significant strides have been made in the past year and where elections will soon take place. And in less than two weeks, sovereignty will be handed back to the Iraqi people in an important step in the process of rebuilding that deeply scarred country.

Again, we are grateful to Sweden for its assistance in training Iraqi police and its commitment to work with the Iraqis in the excavation of the many, many mass graves that Saddam Hussein filled so unmercifully during his long dark years of power.

As two countries that value freedom, democracy and openness, the United States and Sweden are natural partners in the effort to aid freedom's advance across the globe. As you know, I have just arrived here in Sweden to take up my posting and I look forward to engaging in an ongoing dialogue with both the government and the people of Sweden on how to best advance these important ideals.

Let me close by expressing my thanks and the thanks of my family, to all the people who have welcomed us so warmly to Sweden during the last two weeks. Let me also thank the various American sponsors who have been so generous and have made this celebration possible.