[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.