[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[February 11, 1992]
[Pages 225-226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 225]]

Remarks at the Departure Ceremony for Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel of 
Turkey

February 11, 1992
    The President. Mr. Prime Minister, it's been a great pleasure to 
meet with a man whose career embodies a devotion to democracy and human 
rights. And seven times the people of Turkey have sent you to serve as 
Prime Minister, an office that you've served often with daring, always 
with dignity. And you've been a great European statesman. And you remain 
a spokesman for change.
    No wonder you said when we met last summer, ``I'm going to be Prime 
Minister.'' And your devotion to your people has been returned by their 
confidence in you. And for me, it was a pleasure to welcome you back to 
the Oval Office that you first visited 37----
    The Prime Minister. ----years ago.
    The President. Thirty-seven or----
    The Prime Minister. Yes, 37.
    The President. Thirty-seven years ago when President Eisenhower was 
in that very special office.
    Barbara and I will never forget our trip to Turkey last year. And I 
recall especially the magic of Istanbul, the minarets of the Blue 
Mosque, the splendor of the beautiful palace, the boats that graced the 
Straits of the Bosporus, the lights that lit up the Asian and European 
parts of the city, their skyline a lovely silhouette against the night. 
And I marveled at this country which spans two continents, just as the 
friendship between our countries spans two centuries.
    Today, as the Prime Minister and I mapped our path toward the 
future, we spoke of friendship and how it nurtures the ties between our 
peoples. Perhaps Kemal Ataturk said it best: ``Nations are bound more by 
sentiments than by treaties.''
    Turkey is indeed a friend, a partner of the United States. And it's 
also a model to others, especially those newly independent Republics of 
Central Asia. In a region of changing tides, it endures as a beacon of 
stability. And so, I repeat what I told the Prime Minister: The United 
States will support its friend in its territorial integrity, its 
sovereignty and stability, particularly in its war against terrorism.
    And we're going to work together to fortify the enhanced partnership 
which both links and lifts our nations. The pillars included trade, 
diplomacy, NATO and CSCE membership, and a shared commitment to justice 
and human rights. And last year in the Gulf, in the Persian Gulf, we 
joined to face aggression and then faced aggression down. We're going to 
continue to work through the United Nations to see that all Iraqi 
citizens get the food and medicine they need and the peace and liberty 
they deserve in an Iraq free of Saddam's tyranny.
    Today we spoke of a world reborn through the cold war's death, of 
the plight of the new Republics emerging from the old Soviet Union. 
Already, Turkey and the United States have joined hands to feed mouths, 
rushing goods through Project Hope to needy friends in the Caucasus and 
Central Asia. I wish to announce that our Governments will expand that 
cooperation in these new Republics. We will seek new ways to help our 
new friends secure their independence and move quickly and peacefully to 
establish ties with the West.
    Mr. Prime Minister, you once said, ``Every question will be 
answered; discussion will be open and free.'' And in that spirit, we 
spoke of Turkey's importance to Europe, and I applauded your 
Government's commitment to improve relations with Greece. The Prime 
Minister and I did talk about the Cyprus problem. We share the objective 
of early negotiated settlement which will be both just and lasting. And 
we agreed to give full support to the good offices mission of the United 
Nations Secretary-General and to work with the other parties toward an 
agreement.
    In closing, we've agreed to stay in touch personally and officially 
at many levels of our Governments. And we leave with the faith that our 
talks have covered much ground, charted new horizons.

[[Page 226]]

    The road toward progress may at times be difficult. It need not be 
lonely. An old Turkish proverb reminds us, ``A long journey is shortened 
by good companions.'' So Mr. Prime Minister, let us make that journey 
together, as we have before and as we will again. And may God bless the 
peoples of Turkey and the United States of America.

                    Note: The President spoke at 1:30 p.m. on the South 
                        Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to Kemal Ataturk, founder and first 
                        President of the Republic of Turkey.