    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 25, 1991]
    [Pages 308-309]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Signing the Greek Independence Day Proclamation
    March 25, 1991

        The President. Thank you very much for the welcome. Please be
    seated. It's a great pleasure to see so many friends here today. Of
    course, a very special pleasure just now to welcome Archbishop Iakovos
    back to the Oval Office. He's been there on several occasions since I've
    been President; certainly before, many times. But it gave me an
    opportunity to express my respect and appreciation for him. He's been a
    wonderful friend and a good counselor on very important matters.

    [[Page 309]]

        I want to salute Ed Derwinski. He's not Greek but he was a former
    Member of the Congress. [Laughter] He's got a lot of friends in the
    Greek-American community, I'll tell you. And I also am delighted to see
    Ambassador Zacharakis who's here--another man who's doing a superb job.
        And I might say, before we get into the festivities of the day, that
    I'm very comfortable and pleased with the relationship between Greece
    and the United States. And I have great respect for Mr. Mitsotakis, who
    is doing a superb job. I hope you will convey that to him, please, Mr.
    Ambassador.
        But here we are to designate this day again, March 25th, Greek
    Independence Day. March 25th marks several turning points in history.
    And just as Americans and Greeks share many common values, we each hold
    this date in special reverence for the strides we've made in the name of
    freedom.
        It was in the spring of 1584 that the first colonists set sail from
    England in search of new opportunities and independence. One hundred and
    seventy years ago, the Day of Annunciation, 1821, the Greek banner of
    revolt was first raised in the successful uprising in the name of
    liberty.
        The shared significance of this date is more than a coincidence. It
    is just one example of the common ideals and values the people of Greece
    and America hold so dear: freedom, democracy, human rights, and justice.
    And under the current leadership of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, with whom
    I had the pleasure of meeting twice last year, the relationship does, as
    I said earlier, continue to flourish. And I hope that he and I will meet
    soon again.
        I'd like to take a moment to thank the people of Greece for their
    support and cooperation in this historic coalition effect to liberate
    Kuwait from ruthless aggression. The people of Greece can take great
    pride in their country's role in protecting the rule of law.
        And so now, after again saying how pleased I am to see so many
    friends here today for this occasion, it is my pleasure to put pen to
    paper and proclaim Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration
    of Greek and American Democracy.

    [At this point, the President signed the proclamation.]

        The Archbishop. Mr. President, on behalf of the 3-million-strong
    Greek Orthodox community in the United States, I offer to you our most
    humble thanks for signing once again today, the 25th of March, 1991,
    after 170 years from the Greek independence--the first--proclamation
    which calls all of us to uphold the ideals and values upon which the
    ancient Greek and the modern American concept of democracy is founded.
        We ask you to accept our warmest reassurance of our continued
    commitment to the full support of your historic efforts to have freedom
    and justice ultimately prevail, and follow the foundation for the new
    world order for which you so arduously labor.
        God bless you. This is our prayer--constant prayer--Mr. President,
    and inspired strength to you as you lead the world towards a state of
    permanent peace.
        The President. Thank you all.

                        Note: The President spoke at 11:26 a.m. in the
                            Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his
                            remarks, he referred to Archbishop Demetrios A.
                            Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
                            North and South America; Secretary of Veterans
                            Affairs Edward J. Derwinski; Christos
                            Zacharakis, Greek Ambassador to the United
                            States; and Prime Minister Constantinos
                            Mitsotakis of Greece. The proclamation is listed
                            in Appendix E at the end of this volume.