It’s an honor and a pleasure to be with you tonight, and to give this year’s “L.W. ‘Bill’ and Jean Lane Lecture in Diplomacy.” Bill Lane certainly needs no introduction to this group; we have been delighted to have him at past sessions of the Japan-U.S. San Francisco Security Seminar and his presence this year is surely missed. He has a good excuse, however; an important family gathering in honor of his lovely wife Jean, to whom we all wish a Happy Birthday.

Years ago I gave a speech about the U.S.-Japan alliance and Asia security called “continuity and change.” And if you look at Asia now, there’s an awful lot of change and I don’t think there’s so much of the continuity. Look at Australia, we’ve got new leadership with Kevin Rudd, who met with our president today in Washington. And this is going to have implications for us. We talked about China today, but we ought to talk about our trilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia, and the U.S. I think that Mr. Rudd, who is a very fine guy and has a great affection for the U.S.-Australia Alliance, probably won’t have the same affection for our trilateral talks as his predecessor. He may engage in them, but I don’t think there will be the same amount of cooperation.