Administration of William J. Clinton, 1994 / Apr. 22 The President. Absolutely. Q. Are you going to visit Greece, 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 Cyprus 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 thinkÐI 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 outÐwe 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 goodÐ[in- the President referred to Matthew Nimetz, U.S. audible]Ðto 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 Cyrus Vance, United Nations Special Envoy to the now, and we'll continue to. I think there will Former Yugoslavia; 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, United States 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 emissionsÐall 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.