Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Apr. 22

The President. Absolutely. Q. Are you going to visit , sir? Q. What do you believe about these meas- The President. Oh, I’d love to do that. I’ve ures? never been there. The President. What I think is that we have Mr. Nimetz over there and Mr. Vance. We’re trying to help work it out. I think that it’s very Q. What about Cyprus? much in the interest of Greece and Europe The President. We’re working hard on Cyprus, and the world community for the matters to and I think—I hope there will be some move- be worked out between the two countries, and ment from the Turkish side on Cyprus in the I think they can be. next couple of days with regard to the con- Q. How committed are you to delaying the fidence-building measures. I think that the ball process until Greece’s concerns are satisfied, sir? has been sort of in Mr. Denktash’s court, and The President. I think it’s obvious that we’ve I hope he will take it up. And then I hope shown a real concern for Greece’s concerns. that Greece and all others will support pushing That’s one of the main reasons I sent a special forward. I have worked hard to resolve this since envoy over there, and we’re trying to work I’ve been in office, and I will continue to stay through it. We’ll discuss that today. We just on it. More later. started out—we haven’t even had our discus- sions yet. NOTE: The exchange began at 11:45 a.m. in the Q. There’s been some criticism that the U.S. Oval Office at the White House. In his remarks, side has not exercised enough of its good—[in- the President referred to Matthew Nimetz, U.S. audible]—to Skopje and to come up with a solu- Special Envoy to the United Nations to resolve tion. the conflict between Greece and Macedonia; The President. We’re working hard on that , United Nations Special Envoy to the now, and we’ll continue to. I think there will Former ; and Rauf Denktash, Turkish have to be some changes from the point of Cypriot leader. A tape was not available for view of Skopje. verification of the content of this exchange.

The President’s News Conference With Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou of Greece April 22, 1994

Bosnia against Serb heavy weapons and other military The President. Good afternoon, ladies and targets in the vicinity of Gorazde unless three gentlemen. Before I comment on my meeting conditions are met: First, unless the Bosnian with Prime Minister Papandreou, I would like Serbs immediately cease their attacks against to make a brief statement about developments Gorazde; second, unless by 8 p.m. eastern day- with regard to Bosnia today. light time tomorrow evening, the Bosnian Serbs About 2 hours ago in Brussels, NATO’s North pull back their forces at least 3 kilometers from Atlantic Council reached agreement on new the city’s center; and third, unless by 8 p.m. steps to address the crisis in Gorazde and to tomorrow evening, the Bosnian Serbs allow promote a negotiated settlement in Bosnia. United Nations forces, humanitarian relief con- As NATO Secretary General Manfred voys, and medical assistance teams freely to Woerner just announced, the North Atlantic enter Gorazde and to permit medical evacu- Council decided that continuing Bosnian Serb ations. attacks against Gorazde justify firm action. This decision provides NATO forces with Therefore, the North Atlantic Council decided broader authority to respond to Bosnian Serb that the commander in chief of NATO’s South- attacks. The Bosnian Serbs should not doubt ern Command, Admiral Leighton NATO’s willingness to act. Smith, is authorized to conduct air strikes

755 Apr. 22 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994

In addition, the North Atlantic Council has stands the serious Greek concerns on this issue. begun to meet again to decide on authorization Over the past week, both sides have been work- for NATO action concerning other safe areas. ing with Cyrus Vance and my special envoy, I applaud NATO’s decision, the resolve of our Matthew Nimetz, to narrow their differences. allies, and once again, the leadership of NATO We are hopeful that an agreement can soon Secretary General Woerner. The United States be reached that will lead to the lifting of the has an interest in helping to bring an end to trade embargo and a resumption of a dialog this conflict in Bosnia. Working through NATO to resolve the legitimate differences which and working along with Russia and others, we Greece is concerned with. are determined to save innocent lives, to raise The Prime Minister and I also discussed Cy- the price for aggression, and to help bring the prus. The United States supports the U.N. con- parties back to a negotiated settlement. fidence-building measures. Those measures grew out of discussions with President Clerides soon Greece after he took office, and we hope that both Now let me say what a pleasure and an honor sides will support them. My coordinator for Cy- it has been for me to welcome Prime Minister prus, Bob Lamb, has just returned from talks Papandreou back to the United States. Last with both sides. A settlement in Cyprus would night we celebrated the Prime Minister’s arrival benefit all the nations in the region, especially at a reception at Blair House, and today we Greece and Turkey, two vital members of had a very productive meeting here at the White NATO. House. It has been about 20 years since the I have asked the Turkish Government to ad- Prime Minister has been to America, and he dress the status and working conditions of the told me today that 50 years ago this year, as Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. And I en- a young man, he saw President Roosevelt in courage Prime Minister Papandreou to ease his a touring car right outside the White House. government’s objections to the level of Euro- In a sense, every one of us in this country pean Union assistance to Turkey. We must do has roots in Greece. After all, the Periclean faith what we can in these areas to promote greater in freedom helped inspire our own revolution. understandings between these two critical na- The Athenian model of democracy helped to tions and, in the process, to promote progress shape our own young republic. The common on Cyprus. values that we share have made Greece and As a former professor here in the United the United States allies. Half a century ago, States, Prime Minister Papandreou personifies our two nations stood together to launch a policy the durable ties between Greece and America. of containment. Now with the cold war over, It’s been a pleasure to welcome him here as we are joining to meet new challenges and seize the leader of his nation, and I look forward new opportunities. to continuing to work with him based on the Consider, for example, the U.S.-Greece Busi- good relationship we have established. In the ness Council which was just recently established. challenging period ahead, we face some thorny It will enhance the economic contacts between problems. Together, I am convinced we can our two nations, contacts that generated nearly make some progress in dealing with them. $1 billion in trade last year alone. Mr. Prime Minister. Nowhere are the challenges of this era clearer Prime Minister Papandreou. Mr. President, I than in the Balkans. Greece and the United want to express deep appreciation for your invi- States share an interest in working to resolve tation to me to visit you in Washington, to con- the conflict in Bosnia and to prevent it from tinue a discussion that we started in Brussels spreading into a wider European war. The a few months ago. Prime Minister and I discussed the most recent I must say that I found our discussions to developments, and I underscored my view that be extremely useful. We have a clear under- further NATO action is necessary to restore the standing of the issues before us, and I want momentum toward peace. to stress that we consider you a friend of Greece We also talked about the effect the embargo and in whatever Greece signifies, as you have on Serbia is having on other nations in the re- said to the world. gion. We discussed the Former Yugoslav Repub- I am very honored and pleased to be here. lic of Macedonia, and the United States under- For me, it’s a return after many years of ab-

756 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Apr. 22 sence; it’s been 20 years ago that I last visited flag with the Birgina Sun, that the daily news- the United States. And I must say, I’m quite papers and radio emissions—all of them are moved by the fact that I’m here now standing looking to an irredentist and aggressive position next to the President of the United States in which involves Greece because they talk about this room. It’s a great honor and a great mo- the Macedonia of the Aegean, meaning Greek ment. Macedonia. No doubt we are going through a period of At this moment, of course, we are discussing great international difficulties. There are many with Mr. Vance and Mr. Nimetz. But fundamen- spots in the world that, after the fall of the tally, I want you to understand one simple thing. Wall, the Iron Curtain, many spots of the world What we say to Mr. Gligorov is that we are that challenge, again, peace. Wherever you look prepared to lift the embargo, to normalize eco- there is conflict. And indeed, in the area from nomic relations fully, to vote for the member- which we come, the Balkans, the Balkan Penin- ship of the state in CSCE, to support an agree- sula, we have, really, dynamite on our hands. ment between the community, the European No doubt there is grave responsibility for hav- community and that state, provided simply that ing attempted to break apart ex-Yugoslavia. And he does one act: remove the Sun of Birgina all of us, all the 12 European members of the and declare that the constitution in those par- European Union, bear equal responsibility for ticular articles is not valid. this. It’s a fire that can spread very fast. It We are not asking for anything more, and is Bosnia today, a tragedy, indeed, a great trag- we are offering normalization, complete eco- edy. And there is undoubtedly danger also lurk- nomic normalization, keeping the question of ing ahead in Krajina; there is danger in Kosovo. the name, which is a difficult one, as a matter There are plans of expansion on the part of of negotiation under Mr. Vance with the assist- some Balkan countries. Many interests are in ance of Mr. Nimetz, continuing discussions conflict in that area, and one begins to sense under question of the name. But we separate already the development of zones of influence. it out to simplify the issue. The President has just announced the impor- Sorry to have taken so much time on this tant decision of NATO to proceed with—to give particular issue, but because I know there will an ultimatum to the Serbs either to withdraw be questions, I thought it was important that or to face bombardment. The position of the I tell you what our point of view is. We hope Greek Government on this is that we do not that as soon as possible that the embargo will block this decision; we do not veto this decision. be removed and that will be an act on the We accept it, but we do express our reserva- part of Mr. Gligorov to signify his willingness tions. And there is only one reservation, indeed: to live in peace with us and to cooperate with our fear that, step by step, we may be dragged us to develop truly a strong economic relation- into a land war which would be really, by mod- ship. ern standards, a tragedy much greater than we Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t have anything have seen in Bosnia. else to say, except for Cyprus, I want to thank So far as the question of the Balkans is con- the President. Because the President has taken cerned, Greece is a country that seeks peace action not once but more than once to further and wants to play an active role, economically the Cyprus cause, to get, finally, a resolution and culturally, in that region. It was not with after 20 years of Turkish occupation of the north pleasure that we imposed an embargo, with the part of the island. He brought us some good exception of food and pharmaceuticals, on news today, a member of the staff of the Presi- Skopje. dent, that possibly Mr. Denktash has accepted Skopje is a country that must survive. It is the confidence-building measures. This I did not in the interest of Greece that it survives. And know until I came to the White House. If so, this may sound to you a bit contradictory, and it’s a good sign. But in any case, our thanks it is contradictory, that while we believe in this, to the President, who has stood by us on this we have imposed an embargo in the expectation important issue, not only for Greece but for and hope that an SOS signal will be understood. the world. And this SOS signal is simply that it is a matter Thank you. of security for Greece that the irredentist arti- The President. We’ll start with Helen [Helen cles of the constitution of that state, that the Thomas, United Press International], and then

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I’d like to alternate between the American and slaughter of the innocents and a dramatic alter- the Greek press. ation of the territorial balance which would make it almost impossible to restore that sort Bosnia of negotiating environment. But that’s our objec- Q. Mr. President, I’d like to ask you and tive, to be firm with the Bosnian Serbs because the Prime Minister a question. Some of your they are trying to do something that is incon- officials, Mr. President, have indicated that you sistent with the position they, themselves, have would no longer be adverse to sending in taken as recently as just a couple of weeks ago. ground troops to Bosnia, and I think the Sec- retary of State’s statement has been so inter- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia preted. Mr. Prime Minister, even though you Q. Mr. President, I would like to ask you have accepted the NATO position, you obviously are against bombing the Serbs. How would you whether you’re more optimistic after the meet- bring them to the negotiating table? ing with the Prime Minister on the resolution Prime Minister Papandreou. Look, I don’t of the Macedonian issue, and also, what kind have the magical answer; I wish I had it. But of steps you would like to see or expect to I know there is a lot of frustration. The question see from both sides in the near future? is this: Is there a military solution to the prob- The President. I would say I am more opti- lem? For me, there is no military solution; there mistic about the possibility of the resolution of is no possible military solution to the problem. it. And what I would like to see is for both Accordingly, it has to be a political solution. sides to work with Mr. Nimetz, who is here, And of course, the United States has made sig- and with Mr. Vance to try to resolve the legiti- nificant efforts to push us all forward to the mate concerns. negotiating table, and has no responsibility, may As you know, the United States believes the I add, for the initial developments in the region. embargo should be lifted, but we also believe The President. Helen, let me say, first of all, Greece has some very legitimate concerns, con- there has categorically been no discussion in cerns which ought to be able to be allayed. which I have been involved, or which I have They are rooted in history—they are rooted in encouraged or approved, involving the introduc- recent history, not just ancient history—and we tion of American ground forces into Bosnia, with believe that these things have to be resolved. the exception that you already know, as I have said for more than a year now: If there is an Bosnia agreement, then I believe the United States Q. Mr. President, you say that you’re not even should be willing to be part of a multinational considering at all the possibility of sending effort to enforce and help to support the peace ground troops under any scenario in advance agreement. of a full peace arrangement on the ground. I agree with the Prime Minister, we must The President. That’s correct. be, all of us, very mindful of the fact that we Q. Well, what do you say to the leaders of are not in this business to enter this war on France and Canada and Britain? You’re asking one side against another. But I would also re- them to put their ground forces in harm’s way, mind you that we were seeing peace talks unfold to send them into Bosnia and the United States in which at least the stated positions of the will provide the funding. But the world’s largest Bosnian Government and the Bosnian Serbs military, the world’s greatest military, is refusing were not all that different just a few weeks to put its soldiers in harm’s way. I’m sure ago. they’ve asked you about this. We had the peace zone around Sarajevo. We The President. But we have not asked them had the agreement between the Croatians and to put their soldiers into combat. We are trying the Muslims, which was very, very important. to protect their soldiers. And if—we have re- And until this travesty in Bosnia occurred in spected—over a year ago—reluctantly their con- an area which the United Nations had declared clusion that at that time the arms embargo a safe area, I thought we were on the way should not be lifted because it might subject to a negotiated settlement. Will this have to their soldiers to more danger. Their soldiers are be resolved through negotiations? Absolutely. there now, not to fight the war, not to take Our objective is to restore that and to stop sides, but to be agents of peace.

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I talked with the Canadian Prime Minister that Turkey understands that that can be just this morning, and he said to me again, he achieved, and particularly, closer ties with Eu- said, ‘‘You know, in spite of all the tension there, rope as a whole can be achieved only as the I really believe if they would just let our troops issues that divide Turkey and Greece are more back into Gorazde, it would tend to restore the nearly resolved. conditions of humanity, because we have not So I’m quite hopeful, and I’ve been pushing been attacked when we have been present in this line with the friends of the United States substantial numbers.’’ in Turkey for more than a year now, and I When the United States goes into a situation will continue to do so. like this, I think it fundamentally changes the Bosnia character and nature of the engagement. That is why I have always said we would contribute Q. Mr. President, the Serbs’ past general be- a substantial number of troops, but it ought havior is that when they’re faced with a specific to be in the context of a peace agreement, and demand, they’ll duck and come into compliance, I still believe that. And I have no reason to but then they’ll turn around and they’ll come believe that our allies understand differently. back harder someplace else. What can be done We don’t want to create the impression that while you’re trying to achieve this negotiated the United States or the U.N. is entering the settlement to be sure that they don’t just turn conflict to try to win a military victory on the and come into Tuzla or Bihac or someplace ground. We do want to create the clear and outside the safe areas? unambiguous impression that we are angry and The President. Well, we’re taking up—that’s disappointed at the aggression and the continued two different questions. We are taking up the aggression of the Bosnian Serbs in the area of question of the other safe areas through the Gorazde and their refusal to return to the nego- North Atlantic Council. As a matter of fact, I tiating table on the terms that they, themselves, imagine the debate is going on now. All of the set just a few weeks ago. members decided that the issue of Gorazde should be addressed first and separately, and Greece-Turkey Relations then the other safe areas should be taken up. Q. Mr. President, I would like to ask you And as I explained—I think Mr. Hume asked if you are aware of the tension that exists in a question yesterday or the day before—we’re the area of the Aegean and what the United trying to create, in all the safe areas, more or States is going to do on this issue? Are you less the conditions we have in Sarajevo. going to discuss with Turkey, or are you going Now, in the nonsafe areas, let me remind to put any pressure there? you that there is fighting going on and initiative The President. I have had extensive discus- being taken, but not just by the Serbs. The sions with Turkey, with the Turkish Prime Min- Government forces are also engaging in them. ister just recently about the relationship of We believe that they should both stop and go Greece and Turkey. And I might as well say back to the negotiating table. But we also be- to you in public what the Prime Minister and lieve that there should not be a measurable and I discussed in private. I don’t want to commit dramatic change of the situation on the ground him. This is just my thinking. and, specifically, that there should not be an My thinking is that at this moment in history, assault on areas the United Nations, itself, has we have better conditions to resolve the dif- declared as safe areas. So our clear objective ferences between Greeks and Turkey and to here is first to try to reverse the terrible things have a new basis of responsible and fair co- that have been happening in Gorazde; second, operation than at any time in a long while. to try to make the safe areas, safe areas; and The Turkish Government is concerned, obvi- third, through the display of firm resoluteness, ously, about instability within its own borders, to encourage the parties to get back to the nego- the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. The Govern- tiating table and work this out. ment is interested in building a new and modern As you know, in addition to that, we are dis- economy closely connected to Europe and main- cussing with the Russians and the European taining a secular and responsible nation that is Community—and Prime Minister Papandreou overwhelmingly Islamic. It seems to me that and I talked about it a little bit today—what that is in the interest of all of us. And I think the appropriate next diplomatic initiative ought

759 Apr. 22 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 to be on our part. The Russians and the French Security of Greece have put forward proposals, as has the Secretary- Q. Mr. President, due to the Balkan crisis, General of the United Nations, and I think that could you please clarify the U.S. position vis- you will see some progress on that front next a-vis to the security of Greece on a bilateral week. level? Q. After your meeting with the Greek Prime The President. Well, Greece is also a member Minister at the White House, would you like of NATO, sir. And so our obligation to the secu- to say a few words about American foreign pol- rity of Greece, as well as our historic commit- icy regarding the Balkan situation today? ment to it, I think, is quite clear, and there The President. Well, I think I just said all should be no doubt about it today. I have to say. We talked a lot about it, and Bosnia Prime Minister Papandreou gave me some very Q. Mr. President, how do you plan to avoid good insight. And we both agreed that, in the mission creep in Bosnia if expanding the air end, we have to have a negotiated settlement. umbrella doesn’t work? Will the United States But the United States believes that we have push in further or pull out? In other words, to, in the meanwhile, be absolutely determined what’s your exit strategy here? not to let the prospect of a negotiated settle- The President. Well, our exit strategy is a re- ment be destroyed by the actions of the Serbs turn to the peace negotiations. In other words, on the ground. this is a different thing. Keep in mind—it is Q. Senator Nunn has said that we really need difficult to analogize this conflict from the point to dramatically escalate our bombing and go to of view of the United States and the United Belgrade, go to Serbia. Why not? Why not take Nations to others which occurred during the that step? cold war and which had some sort of cold war The President. I think that step is not an rationale which sometimes broke down. appropriate thing to do at this time, for a num- What we are trying to do now is to confine ber of reasons. For one, the Bosnian Serbs the conflict, first of all, stop it from spreading themselves, it seems to me, when confronted into a wider war and secondly, to get the parties with the reality that we are serious and we con- back to the negotiating table where they were tinue to go forward, are likely to return to the most recently. If what we are doing doesn’t negotiating table. Number two, the Serbian gov- work, then I will consider other options. But ernment in Belgrade could be, and should be, there is more than one way for the mission an ally of the peace process. We know already to be altered in pursuit of the ultimate objective. that they have suffered greatly from the sanc- I will reiterate what I said to you in the tions, and we’re trying to stiffen the enforce- beginning: There has been absolutely no discus- ment of the sanctions at this time. Thirdly, our sion that I have participated in, authorized, or partnership with the Russians continues, and approved, dealing with the introduction of our while the Russians are angry and frustrated that ground forces here before a peace settlement. they have been misled by the Bosnian Serbs, Q. Mr. President, how do you account for they have continued to adopt our position that the fact that peace in Bosnia has been so dif- there must be a withdrawal of Serb forces from ficult to be achieved? And do you think that this could be due to conflicting messages the Gorazde and a cessation of shelling. warring parts have received from different coun- In other words, I think there are still possibili- tries? ties within the framework in which we are oper- The President. It could be due to that. But ating to achieve a return to the negotiating proc- I think it’s mostly due to the fact that they ess and a legitimate return. So I think at this have profound differences over which they have time, it would be inappropriate to escalate the been willing to fight and die and that there bombing that much. are differences, apparently, even within each Q. Would you consider that—if this does not camp about the extent to which they should work, sir, would that be the next step? seek advantages on the battlefield or at the ne- The President. Well, I don’t like to deal in gotiating table down to the present day. contingencies in a matter like this. I think my I think it’s more about the internal dynamics, answer should stand on its own. about what is going on there than about any-

760 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Apr. 22 thing else. I think that it is important not to want to quit, especially if they think they are be too arrogant about our ability to totally dic- in a position to win in a place where they hap- tate events so far from our shores. But I do pen to be fighting. But that’s what leadership think we can influence them in a positive way. is for. I think we have when we’ve acted firmly and You know, you could say—look at this election acted together; we should continue to try to that’s about to unfold in South Africa. I mean, do so. I could give you lots of other examples. I’m Press Secretary Myers. Two more questions. sure there are people on the ground that don’t Q. Mr. President, you just spoke about divi- want to quit fighting because it’s what they sions within the camps, and you mentioned a know, and they think maybe they can press an moment ago that you thought the Bosnian Serbs advantage. But that’s what leadership is for. And would be likely to go back to the negotiating the leaders of the Serbs and the Bosnian Serbs table and my understanding is—— need to assert themselves at this moment and The President. No, I don’t want to say that. avoid further wreckage. I think that they have gone there before, and I hope that they will. I wouldn’t say that—I Balkans have no information that indicates that they are Q. The Balkan question—there is also the likely to do that. That’s the rational thing for issue of the recent tensions between Greece and them to do. Albania. Did you discuss this issue as well as Q. The assumption that a lot of policy-makers the status of the Greek minority there and the have made is that the Serbs have basically taken alleged human rights violations? most of the territory that they want, but we The President. Well, first of all, I think Greece hear repeatedly statements from the Serb militia has proceeded with real restraint and sound leaders indicating that they have a much more judgment. We are concerned about the status militant, aggressive desire to seize more terri- of the Greek minority there as we are concerned tory. I’d like to ask you two things. One is, do about the status of the Albanians in Kosovo. you have any sense of who’s really in control This whole area is a tinderbox, which is one over there? Are we negotiating with the people of the reasons we have paid as much attention who can make a deal? And secondly, is there to it as we have and one of the reasons we anything that U.S. policy can do to try to influ- are trying, within the limits of the United Na- ence which parties to that internal conflict come tions and NATO, to confine the conflict. out on top? I think the plain answer to this is to tone The President. I think from time to time there down the rhetoric, to observe the rights of the are differences between the Bosnian Serbs and minorities, and not to let the war which is raging Serbia-proper and its government. I think from in Bosnia spread to the surrounding areas where time to time there are differences between and there are equally deep tensions. among various factions in Bosnia, between polit- I’ll take one last question. ical and military factions, and between command centers and people out in the country, as often Health Care Reform happens in this kind of war with this level of Q. Mr. Rostenkowski made a speech in Bos- decentralization and with the developments that ton today in which he said that he is unwilling, can occur in community after community. or will recommend against, in his committee, And that means that we have to be—we have financing the health care bill through savings to take those things into account in developing anticipated in future years from the health care, our strategies. But we can’t let the rumor of from the effects of the health care bill, and that, in effect, divide and weaken us; we just that he prefers to finance it through a broad- have to work ahead. Is there anything we can based tax issue. Could you give your response do to exploit those or to use those? I don’t to that and tell us how you think it would go? know yet. But I do know that maintaining a The President. I think Mr. Rostenkowski is firm hand on these sanctions is a very important trying to achieve our common objectives, which part of our policy now. And I would think that, he defined as: universal coverage, cost control, particularly, that there may be people on the and 218 votes. [Laughter] And I think he has ground who, once they’ve been fighting, don’t a strategy for pursuing that.

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I believe that our savings are good. I believe the question of health care, the commitment that obviously we intend—we always knew we’d of the Chairman of the Ways and Means Com- have to make some modification once the Con- mittee to providing health care security to every gressional Budget Office cost estimates came American is not one of them. out. We are prepared to do that. But we have Thank you very much. We’ve got to go. dealt with an awful lot of health economists. We’ve worked very hard on the numbers; we think they are good. But I’m going to have to let him characterize his strategy. NOTE: The President’s 56th news conference All I can say is that, of all the things I’m began at 2:14 p.m. in the East Room at the White worried about in dealing with Congress over House.

Remarks Honoring the National Volunteer Action Award Recipients April 22, 1994

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I’m boys and girls live up to their God-given poten- sorry we’re starting a little bit late, but there tial. are worse places to spend an extra half an hour Service, like life, is a series of challenges. on a beautiful spring day than here in the Rose Thirty-three years ago, almost exactly on this Garden. We’re delighted to see all of you here. day, President Kennedy spoke of this challenge I’m proud to celebrate the close of National when he announced the first Peace Corps Volunteer Week, 1994, with you and with the project. His challenge in that example inspired individuals and organizations we honor today for many, many members of my generation. In just their extraordinary service, from among the a few months our Nation’s and our generation’s more than 95 million Americans who give of answer to history’s challenge will begin working themselves to help other people every year. in communities all across America. They’ll be This afternoon we’ll hear stories of ordinary members of AmeriCorps, our new national serv- Americans doing extraordinary things all over ice initiative. They won’t replace the efforts we our country, ranging from little children to honor today, but they will expand them. Work- noted doctors, from small neighborhood organi- ing mainly through local nonprofit groups, zations to one of our Nation’s largest corpora- AmeriCorps will provide the kind of commit- tions, from a refugee who barely escaped the ment and energy and daring that makes heroes fall of Saigon to men and women whose families and communities and that makes a difference. have belonged to the American middle class for Robert Kennedy perhaps said it best 28 years generations. Our honorees have confronted ago in Cape Town, South Africa. He said, ‘‘Each gangs and comforted the sick. They’ve tutored time someone,’’ and I quote, ‘‘stands up for children, fed families, planted trees, and built homes. As they have helped to rebuild their an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others communities, they’ve shown each of us what or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth can be done when all of us join together. a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other We know that communities have never been from a million different centers of energy and built with brick and mortar alone. Our commu- daring, those ripples build a current which can nities are a product of common effort and com- sweep down the mightiest walls.’’ mon connections to neighbors with whom we To those we honor today, thank you for your share a city block or country road. courage and your daring. To paraphrase Robert Community service is neither a program nor Frost, you took the road less traveled. And it a panacea; it really is a way we live our lives. has made all the difference. I ask that each It stems from a refusal to accept things as they of you stay on the road to public service and are, a personal commitment to make them bet- voluntarism, because you can continue to make ter and to help our fellow men and women, a difference.

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