Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 / Oct. 23 The President's News Conference With President Boris Yeltsin of Russia in Hyde Park, New York October 23, 1995 President Clinton. We don't have prepared one could see that what you were writing was statements, but we will each make a very brief that today's meeting with President Bill Clinton statement, and then we'll take a couple of ques- was going to be a disaster. [Laughter] Well, tions. now for the first time, I can tell you that you're This was our eighth visit as heads of state. a disaster. [Laughter] It was a good and productive one which empha- President Clinton. Be sure you get the right sized the stability and the strength of the part- attribution there. [Laughter] nership between the United States and Russia. President Yeltsin. This proves that our part- We spent the vast majority of our time dis- nership is not calculated for one year or for cussing Bosnia, and we reached complete agree- 5 years but for years and years to comeÐtens ment about how we would work together for of years, for a century; that we're friends, and peace there. We reached agreement on the im- that it's only together, together we're going to portance of the involvement of Russia and the be trying to solve not only our joint bilateral other Contact Group partners in the peace proc- issues but issues affecting the whole world. ess. On the question of what our roles would How many journalists' brains are used to con- be in the implementation of a peace agreement, stantly try to figure out what kinds of different we made some progress, and we agreed that versions and options the two Presidents are our representatives, Secretary Perry and Min- going to try to come up with regarding Bosnia? ister Grachev, would continue to work on this I can't say that your brains turned out to be in the coming days, literally in just a matter uselessÐ[laughter]Ðof course, you also helped of days. us, and we are grateful. And so you did help We discussed a number of other issues. I us because when Bill and I sat down to look think I should mention three very briefly. First, we agreed that we would both push hard for at the different options, we used even some the ratification of START II. Second, we agreed of your seemingly most unbelievable options. that we would continue our close cooperation [Laughter] on nuclear security, and we have a statement Bill said also that we agreed on nuclear disar- that we have already agreed on prepared by mament. We agreed on a whole host of issues, our experts which will be released today. And not just those that affect our two countries but finally, we agreedÐand this is very, very impor- that affect all the countries of the world. Bill tantÐthat we would work together to succeed neglected to say we also came to terms on the in getting a zero-yield comprehensive test ban flank limits that have been placed. And I want treaty next year. This is a major, major step, to say a big, big thank you to Bill for supporting and it dramatically increases the chances of our us so strongly on this score. success for a sweeping comprehensive test ban I want to say a big, big thank you, Bill, for treaty in 1996. And I want to thank President inviting me here to this most magnificent site. Yeltsin for that. If all of you look around you, look behind youÐ Mr. President. the most incredible sceneryÐyou will find this President Yeltsin. Dear ladies and gentlemen, a most lovely place to host such a meeting. dear journalists: I want to say, first of all, that I want to thank Bill from the bottom of my when I came here to the United States for this heart, to bow my head before all of the people, visit at the invitation of the President of the the people who work here, who support this United States, Bill Clinton, I did not at that wonderful museum, the staff who made this visit time have the degree of optimism with which so wonderful, all of you who support not only I now am departing. the museum but also the persona, the person- And this is all due to you because, coming ality of President Roosevelt, the one who was from my statement yesterday in the United Na- a personality not only for the United States but tions, and if you looked at the press reports, for all the peoples of the world for all time. 1661 Oct. 23 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 I do want to bow my head and thank all of ferent your positions have been in the past, and you for this wonderful occasion. especially after what you said at the United Na- So with this, I want to stop with my introduc- tions yesterday. tory remarks. We'll have just a couple of ques- President Yeltsin. We agreed today that Rus- tions. And as soon as we start we're going to sian armed forces will participate in these oper- finish, so very short. First question to the Presi- ations. But how they go about doing it is the dent of the United States. affair of the military; it is not a question for us two Presidents. We have done our task. Bosnia Q. Mr. President, could you tell us what Russia-U.S. Relations progressÐÐ Q. How would you characterize, President Q. Could you tell usÐÐ Yeltsin, the way the talks went today, as a whole, Q. Could you tell us, Mr. PresidentÐPresi- in general? dent Yeltsin, are Russians now willing to work President Yeltsin. When I came here I under the command and control of NATO in thought we were going to have very, very tough a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia? And then meetings. I was not looking forward to the very a followup for President Clinton. difficult, complicated discussions. I had a lot President Clinton. I understand that, but let of apprehensions. However, on my way here, me just say first, we agreed that it was important I flew into Paris, had detailed talks with Jacques for Russia to participate in the implementation Chirac. On the phone I had discussions with of the agreement. We discussed some specifics Helmut Kohl. I met also very actively with other on which we were in accord and some on which leaders. President Bill Clinton was very active we agreed that we had to let our defense experts in meeting with world leaders. work. And we decided that we would say noth- And in spite of the forecasts that said that ing here which would make their work any hard- this would be a breakdown, that this would not er than it already is. be a success, this turns out to be today the friendliest meeting, the best meeting, the most Russia-U.S. Relations understandable meeting, not only for each other Q. Mr. Clinton, as the Russian press, we'd but for all the people of the world. like to ask you the following question. You were And we discussed individual positions; then saying that not only has it not caved in, our we arrived at common positions. And I must partnership has not caved in but it has become say that this kind of meeting is not an official stronger and better. Does that indicate that Rus- summit, it is a working meeting. But this most sia and the United States will be for the future successful working meeting is worthy of meet- generations the guarantor of peace, that there ings that would last hundreds of days, and these will be no wars? big issues, global issues that affect the lives of President Yeltsin. With the faith of two big all the peoples on this planet. Presidents like us, our faith is getting stronger. President Clinton. I'll take one more question, And with this faith, it means that we have de- but I'd like to say something about your ques- cided that there shall be no disagreement be- tion as well. If I could speak directly to the tween our two countries, that our partnership Russian people, I would say that the United will in fact be strengthened, and having this States and Russia have established an important faith means that we will move into the future partnership. It's a partnership of mutual respect toward peace, either with no war or a minimum based on a shared commitment to democracy, of war. a shared commitment to working for the pros- perity of the Russian people, and ultimately a Bosnia partnership which helps us both economically Q. Could we get the answer to President and, perhaps most important, working together Yeltsin's original question, and that is whether to make the 21st century a time of greater peace or not he could ever accept the idea of Russian and greater freedom and greater prosperity for forces being under a NATO command? And all the people of the world. for those of us in this country who've followed That is the larger truth in which all these this dispute, it is difficult to understand how issues should be seen. That is why we have you could have made progress given how dif- made such remarkable progress in dealing with 1662 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 / Oct. 23 the nuclear issues.