Statement on the Retirement of Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Dec. 15 2623 thank the plaintiffs in this case for their per- Statement on the Retirement of sistence in a just cause and their patience Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in reaching a just solution. Given the age of the survivors, it was vital to reach this agree- December 15, 1999 ment now rather than wait for the outcome Like all readers of ``Peanuts,'' I was sad- of lengthy litigation. dened by the news that Charles M. Schulz Finally, let me say I am deeply grateful will retire his beloved comic strip on January to Deputy Secretary of the Treasury 4. But every one of his fans understands that Eizenstat for the truly remarkable job he has this difficult decision is the right one for Mr. done to bring us to this day. He has already Schulz's health and for his family. done so much to help us shed light on this The characters Charles Schulz created are cruel period in human history and to bring more than enduring icons. Charlie Brown, justice to its victims. I know of few people Linus, Snoopy, Pig Pen, and Lucy taught us who combine his commitment to doing the all a little more about what makes us human. right thing with his actual skill at getting Virtually every day for a half-century, Charles things done. Schulz has shown us that a comic strip can I'm sending Stu and his team to Berlin to transcend its small space on the page. It can meet with all the parties to finalize the agree- uplift; it can challenge; it can educate its ment so that it can be implemented as soon readers even as it entertains us. ``Peanuts'' as possible. After I complete this statement, has done all of these things. I wish Charles he will go to the briefing room and answer Schulz a speedy recovery and a fulfilling re- your questions. Again, my deepest respect tirement. and appreciation to Chancellor Schroeder and the German Government, as well as to Deputy Secretary Eizenstat. This is a very Letter to Congressional Leaders good day for the cause of freedom and a good Reporting on the Deployment of day for the United States. United States Military Personnel as Thank you very much. Part of the Kosovo International Q. Mr. President, what kind of compensa- Security Force tion do you think the lawyers, if any, deserve who negotiated this deal? December 15, 1999 The President. We're all going to get a cold if we stay out here. Stu can answer all Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) those questions. Let's go in the Briefing In my report to the Congress of June 12, Room and he can answer them. Thank you. 1999, I provided information on the deploy- ment of combat-equipped U.S. military per- Israel-Syria Talks sonnel as the U.S. contribution to the NATO- led security force in Kosovo (KFOR) and to Q. Mr. President, before you go, could you countries in the region to serve as a national give us a sense of how the Mideast talks are support element for them. I am providing going today? this supplemental report, consistent with the The President. They're going pretty well. War Powers Resolution, to help ensure that But it's hard going and we've got work to the Congress is kept fully informed on con- do, so I'm going back to work. Thanks. tinued U.S. contributions in support of peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo. NOTE: The President spoke at 1:52 p.m. on the The U.N. Security Council authorized South Grounds at the White House. In his member states to establish the international remarks, he referred to Chancellor Gerhard security presence in Kosovo in U.N. Security Schroeder of Germany. Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999, 2624 Dec. 15 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 for an initial period of 12 months. The mis- The KLA agreed to June 21, 1999, to a sion of KFOR is to provide a continued mili- ceasefire, to withdraw from the zones of con- tary presence in order to deter renewed hos- flict in Kosovo, and to demilitarize itself. On tilities; verify and, if necessary, enforce the September 20, 1999, KFOR Commander terms of the Military Technical Agreement Lieutenant General Sir Mike Jackson accept- (MTA) between NATO and the Federal Re- ed the KLA's certification that the KLA had public of Yugoslavia (FRY); enforce the completed its demilitarization in accordance terms of the agreement of the Kosovo Lib- with the June 21 agreement. The UNMIK eration Army (KLA) to demilitarize and re- thereafter established a civil emergency serv- integrate itself into civil society; provide ices entity known as the Kosovo Protection operational direction to the newly established Corps that is intended to provide civic assist- Kosovo Protection Corps; and contribute to ance in emergencies and other forms of hu- a secure environment to facilitate the work manitarian assistance. The UNMIK is in the of the U.N. Interim Administration Mission process of considering applications from in Kosovo (UNMIK) by providing, until former KLA personnel for service in this UNMIK assumes these functions, for public Corps. security and appropriate control of the bor- ders. The UNMIK has made progress in estab- Currently, the U.S. contribution to KFOR lishing the international civil presence to pro- in Kosovo is approximately 8,500 U.S. mili- vide an interim administration for the people tary personnel. This number is higher than of Kosovo. The KFOR, within its means and previously reported due to normal personnel capabilities, is providing broad support to rotations and will return to approximately UNMIK. As UNMIK is still developing its 7,000 U.S. military personnel when those ro- structures in Kosovo, KFOR continues to tations are completed. In the last 6 months, support UNMIK at all levels, including pub- all 19 NATO nations and 15 others, including lic administration, and is represented at the Russia and Ukraine, have provided military Kosovo Transitional Council and the Joint personnel or other support to KFOR. Civil Commissions. The KFOR personnel In Kosovo, the U.S. forces are assigned to provide a security presence in towns and vil- a sector principally centered around lages. Checkpoints and patrols are organized Urosevac in the eastern portion of Kosovo. in key areas in Kosovo to provide security, For U.S. KFOR forces, as for KFOR gen- resolve disputes, and instill in the community erally, maintaining public security is a key a feeling of confidence. In addition, KFOR task, and U.S. forces conduct security patrols is providing assistance in the areas of in urban areas and in the countryside demining, humanitarian relief, international throughout their sector. Approximately one- civil police training, and the maintenance of half of KFOR's total available personnel is civic works resources. Ethnic tensions in directly committed to protection tasks, in- Kosovo, however, remain a concern, particu- cluding protection of ethnic minorities. The larly in areas where Kosovar Serbs and KFOR forces are under NATO command Kosovar Albanians live in close proximity. and control and rules of engagement. Until UNMIK is able to field a full com- In addition, other U.S. military personnel plement of civil police, public security re- are deployed to other countries in the region mains principally a KFOR responsibility. to serve in administrative and logistics sup- port roles for the U.S. forces in KFOR. Spe- NATO has planned for the KFOR mission cifically, approximately 1,500 U.S. military to be formally reviewed at 6-month intervals personnel are operating in support of KFOR with a view to progressively reducing the in Macedonia and Greece and, on occasion, force's presence and, eventually, with- in Albania. drawing. Over time, KFOR will incremen- Since my report to the Congress of June tally transfer its security and policing respon- 12, the FRY, in accordance with Resolution sibilities as appropriate to the international 1244 and the MTA, withdrew its military, civil administration, local institutions, and paramilitary, and police forces from Kosovo. other organizations. Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Dec. 16 2625 I have taken these actions pursuant to my 1641(c)), I transmit herewith a 6-month peri- constitutional authority to conduct U.S. for- odic report on the national emergency de- eign relations and as Commander in Chief clared by Executive Order 12924 of August and Chief Executive. I appreciate the contin- 19, 1994, to deal with the threat to the na- ued support of the Congress in these actions. tional security, foreign policy, and economy Sincerely, of the United States caused by the lapse of William J. Clinton the Export Administration Act of 1979. Sincerely, NOTE: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, William J. Clinton and Strom Thurmond, President pro tempore of the Senate. NOTE: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate. Letter to Congressional Leaders Transmitting the Report on the National Emergency With Respect to Remarks at a Democratic National the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Committee Gay and Lesbian (Serbia and Montenegro) Luncheon December 15, 1999 December 16, 1999 Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) Well, thank you very much. First, I want As required by section 401(c) of the Na- to thank Mark and Peter and Andy and tional Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1641(c), Charles for co-hosting, chairing this. And I and section 204(c) of the International Emer- thank all of you for being here.