Interview on CNN's ''Global Forum

964 May 3 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 that that would have for lifting all of southern empire. A global economy has collapsed dis- Africa and setting an example that others tances and expanded opportunity, because of might follow is quite extraordinary. a communications revolution symbolized I think the whole world has been moved most clearly by CNN and what all of us are by the size of the turnout, by the profound doing this evening all around the world. passion of the people, and by the rather mi- We are front-row history witnesses. We raculous partnership between Mr. Mandela see things as they occur. I remember when and Mr. de Klerk, and the fact that Chief I was a young man watching the news on Buthelezi and the Inkatha Party came back television at night. There was only a small in the 11th hour, participated, and apparently amount of coverage allotted to the world have done as about projected and will be a scene, and very often the footage I would part of the government. So I'm hoping that see as a boy would be a whole day old. Now this is all going to work out fine. we're impatient if we learn about things an hour after they occur instead of seeing them Supreme Court Appointment in the moment. Q. Mr. President, would you appoint The Berlin Wall has been toppled. A hand- someone on the Supreme Court without shake of hope has started the series of peace interviewing them yourself? news that will be necessary at long last to President Jimmy Carter. I would. bring peace to the troubled Middle East. And President Clinton. Did you hear what he this week we saw these glorious and unfor- said? He said, ``I would.'' [Laughter] gettable scenes of millions of South Africans of all races lining up with joy and courage NOTE: The exchange began at 5:23 p.m. at the to give birth to their new multiracial democ- Carter Center. President Jimmy Carter made wel- racy. coming remarks and answered reporters' questions prior to the President's remarks. A tape was But all of us know that this era poses dan- not available for verification of the content of this gers as well. Russia and the other former exchange. Communist states are going through wrench- ing transitions. The end of the superpower standoff between the United States and the Interview on CNN's ``Global Forum Soviet Union lifted the lid off a cauldron of With President Clinton'' smoldering ethnic hatreds. And there is now May 3, 1994 so much aggression within the national borders of countries all around the world. In- The President. Thank you. Thank you deed, all of us feel our humanity threatened very much. Mr. Johnson, Mr. Turner, and as much by fights going on within the borders ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I want of nations as by the dangers of fighting across to welcome those of you who are here at the national borders. CNN conference and the millions more who There are regimes, such as Iraq, Iran, and are watching all across the world tonight. I North Korea, who persist in working to de- also want to thank the Carter Center for velop weapons of mass destruction. We see hosting us for this pathbreaking discussion brutal human rights abuses from Haiti to of world events. Rwanda and dire humanitarian and environ- Throughout the history of the United mental problems from the sweeping AIDS States and particularly after major conflicts, epidemic and desertification in Africa to de- America has had to reexamine how we define forestation in Latin America and Asia. our security and what kind of world we hope In the face of so much promise and trou- to live in and leave our children and what ble, we have a chance, a chance to create our responsibilities for that world are. With conditions of greater peace and prosperity the cold war over we have clearly come to and hopefully more lasting peace and pros- another such moment, a time of great change perity, but only if the world's leading nations and possibility. The specter of nuclear anni- stay actively engaged in the effort. hilation is clearly receding. A score of new With the cold war over, there are pressures democracies has replaced the former Soviet here in America and in other nations around VerDate 13-MAY-98 14:44 May 13, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00024 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 C:\TERRI\P18MY4.003 INET03 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / May 3 965 the world to turn inward, to focus on needs readiness of our men and women in uniform at home. Here at home for us that means remains a bulwark of our freedom and free- things like job creation and reducing crime dom in many places abroad. and providing health care to all our citizens. Last year, we completed a sweeping as- It is right, and indeed imperative, for us to sessment of what military forces we now address these needs. But the United States need in order to meet this era's threats. We cannot turn our back on the world, nor can concluded that we must have forces that can other nations. I know our engagement costs fight and win two major regional conflicts money, and sometimes it costs lives. I know nearly simultaneously. These forces will cost well that we cannot solve every problem, nor less than what was needed during the cold should we try. But in an era of change and war, but we must not cut too far. And I have opportunity and peril, America must be will- fought against deeper cuts in our defenses ing to assume the obligations and the risks that would weaken our ability to be ready of leadership. And I am determined to see to defend our interests. that we do that. We're taking other steps to meet the It is important that we have a clear road threats of this new era. At the NATO summit map in a new era based on our national inter- convened in January, we and our NATO al- ests and our clearly stated values, a road map lies adopted the concept of the Partnership that charts where we're trying to go. Tonight For Peace to help draw former Communist let me briefly sketch it out before taking states and other states in Europe not pres- questions. ently aligned with NATO into closer security Our highest priority and my highest prior- cooperation with Western Europe. We're ity as President must continue to be simply working to increase regional security in areas and clearly to protect our land, our people, like the Middle East, where we hope tomor- and our way of life. That is the core of our row Israel and the PLO will sign an impor- national interest. We also must seize oppor- tant accord that builds on the promise of tunities that will enhance our safety and our their breakthrough last September. prosperity, acting alone when necessary, act- We're continuing to reduce the world's nu- ing with others whenever possible. clear dangers, working to end North Korea's We have an interest in continuing to serve dangerous nuclear program. We started ne- as a beacon of strength and freedom and gotiations on a comprehensive test ban. hope. For we are, after all, a unique nation. When I took office, four former Soviet re- We are the world's most powerful arsenal, publics had nuclear weapons. We succeeded its oldest democracy, its most daring experi- with three of them in nailing down commit- ment in forging different races, religions, and ments to eliminate their entire nuclear arse- cultures into a single people. nals. And we are proceeding in that impor- Since taking office, my strategy to advance tant work. And now, for the very first time, those interests has been based on three prior- our nuclear missiles are no longer targeted ities: first, developing policies to meet the at Russia, nor theirs at us. security challenges of this new era and then The second part of our strategy is to place shaping our defense forces necessary to carry economic progress at the center of our poli- out those policies; second, making our Na- cies abroad. For too many years there was tion's global economic interests an integral a dangerous dislocation here in America be- and essential part of our foreign policies; and tween our international policies and our eco- third, promoting the spread of democracy nomic policies. We were strong militarily abroad. when we became economically weak because Let me discuss each of these briefly. First, of our dangerously high deficits and low pro- ensuring that we have strong policies and ductivity, things which contributed to the ready defenses for a new security environ- weakening of nations all around the world ment. Thankfully, we no longer face the pros- and dried up much of the capital needed in pect of Soviet troops marching into Western less developed countries for development Europe. But the world is still a dangerous and growth. We advocated free trade, but place, and the skill and the power and the often we practiced just the reverse when VerDate 13-MAY-98 14:44 May 13, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00025 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 C:\TERRI\P18MY4.003 INET03 966 May 3 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 under the pressure of poor economic per- ter partners in diplomacy and security.

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