    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [June 16, 1993]
    [Pages 860-863]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 860]]

    Remarks Following Discussions With President Sam Nujoma of Namibia and
    an Exchange With Reporters
    June 16, 1993

        President Clinton. Good morning. Today I am delighted to welcome
    President Sam Nujoma of Namibia to the White House. Here in this city
    named after George Washington it is indeed an honor to welcome a person
    who is known as the George Washington of his country. Three years ago,
    the world rejoiced at the birth of a new democracy on the African
    continent. Millions of Americans of all ethnic backgrounds celebrated
    Namibia's independence as a moment of great joy and real progress. Since
    that moment, President Nujoma has led his country through one of the
    most successful political transitions in recent times. I'm particularly
    pleased to have the President here as the first African head of state
    received by my administration. It underscores my admiration for what
    Namibia has accomplished and my commitment to democracy in Africa and
    elsewhere. Namibia's President and her people clearly share that
    commitment. Their example inspires the cause of democracy and human
    rights throughout the continent.
        Our meeting today coincides with UNICEF's annual Day of the African
    Child. A brighter future for those children is a goal we both share. In
    that regard, I commend the President for his concern for the future of
    Angola's people as well and particularly her children who have long
    suffered from that country's civil war. President Nujoma's efforts to
    bring an end to this conflict have made an important contribution to the
    cause of peace.
        Our meeting today also comes at a time of great promise and
    challenge for another of Namibia's neighbors, South Africa. I know that
    I join President Nujoma in hoping that the transition to a nonracial
    democracy in South Africa can not only come soon but can be as peaceful
    and successful as the birth of Namibia's own democracy a short while
    ago. South Africa has seen far too much tragedy and despair for too
    long. The day is overdue when it would be a welcome time of renewal, of
    prosperity and hope and peace. With its exemplary experience in recent
    years, Namibia is truly in a unique position to further the entire
    region's efforts toward democratization, market economies, conflict
    resolution, and political stability. Namibia's successful transition to
    a stable, multiparty, multiracial, multiethnic democracy offers hope and
    optimism for other nations in the region, throughout the continent, and
    around the world.
        I also want to say a special word of appreciation for the work that
    the President and Namibia have done in promoting their new system of
    government, promoting education among their people. He has just given me
    a gift of two games that a young Namibian citizen has developed for the
    children there, board games on the government and Constitution of
    Namibia and on the governments of the African continent. And I might
    point out that Namibia's Constitution also has in it a commitment to
    preserve the precious ecosystem of that country, a real ground-breaking
    statement of environmental commitment that I, again, believe will be
    honored by people throughout the continent and throughout the world.
        Again, Mr. President, I'm delighted to have this opportunity to
    welcome you, a genuine hero of the world's movement toward democracy,
    and I look forward to working with you on the issues we have discussed
    and the issues we're about to discuss. The microphone is yours.
        President Nujoma. Thank you, Mr. President Clinton. I am
    particularly grateful that you have extended an invitation to me, and
    through me to my people, to come and pay an official visit to your great
    country.
        I'm grateful that your Government and your people have decided when
    the people of Somalia were faced with the tragedy of starvation and
    death, it was during the Bush administration when President Bush decided
    to send U.S. troops, before U.N. troops went, to put an end to the civil
    war and starvation of the people of Somalia. And later on, the U.N. sent
    its own forces which are still there.
        Our continent is faced with turmoils. We have a civil war in
    Liberia, in Angola, in Somalia, and elsewhere. And I'm appealing to you,
    Mr. President, and to the people of the United States not to be
    discouraged but to continue to support the efforts of the United Nations
    in assisting those who are in need and particu-

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    larly in preventing further bloodshed and loss of lives and destruction
    to property in areas such as Angola, Liberia, and others.
        Mr. President, after a long bloody struggle for independence, during
    which there was massive abuse of human rights, Namibia has joined the
    ranks of free and democratic nations in which the right and dignity of
    human beings are enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of
    Namibia and protected as a matter of policy practiced by my government.
    Over the last 3 years of its existence as a sovereign state, Namibia has
    scrupulously observed and upheld political pluralism which--
    [inaudible]--multipartisan. There are seven political parties
    represented in our Parliament. All these parties are quite vocal in
    their criticism of my government. But there has not been a single
    incident of harassment or intimidation of any one of these parties by my
    government. Tolerance and accommodation are our guiding principles in
    this regard.
        We are committed to the rule of law, so much so that not a single
    one of the inhuman apartheid laws, rules, and the regulation has been
    replaced with undemocratic issues. Our Parliament remains the only legal
    institution that has the power to repeal, amend, or pass laws to
    regulate the political and other activities of our society. The
    separation of powers is the other central principle of our democracy. As
    such, there has been no interference by the executive branch of the
    government in the affairs of the judiciary. The judiciary acted
    independently. Although there were the draconian laws used by the
    colonial regime to suppress freedom of the press, there is today in
    Namibia no single law that puts restrictions on that important freedom
    of the press. Namibia has, therefore, one of the most active and
    critical press towards the government.
        The government of Namibia is committed to a market-oriented economy.
    As such, there has been no interference by the government in the
    activities of private sector. Instead, my government is actively
    creating infrastructures on the joint venture basis, and we intend to
    leave those infrastructures to the private sector. This is one way we
    think we can develop our country.
        The government is committed to transference in governance. In this
    regard, there are regular consultations between the government, the
    private sector, and the civil organizations on issues of national
    concern. We intend to uphold all these democratic principles because we
    are convinced that they are essential for the maintenance of peace and
    stability in our country, as well as for the social economic development
    of Namibia.
        Mr. President, in order to strengthen democracy in Namibia, there is
    an imperative and urgent need for my government to produce tangible
    economic results by encouraging private sector investment in the
    country. Without such a result we cannot say that the future of our
    democracy is secure. In this connection, my government has just passed
    incentives which aim at promoting foreign investment. We give a
    guarantee of repatriation for their dividends and profit. And I hope the
    U.S. business community members will use the opportunity of coming into
    Namibia and join us, either on a joint venture basis or just purely
    direct investment, and make a profit and meanwhile assisting us to
    develop our country.
        I thank you.
        President Clinton. Thank you.

    Economic Program

        Q. [Inaudible]--about whispers that the economic plan will not hit
    the $500 billion target in the Senate Finance Committee. Despite
    repeated suggestions by you and your administration and your
    spokespeople that one of your principles was $500 billion, you didn't
    seem to clearly rule out taking anything less than $500 billion. Can you
    rule that out?
        President Clinton. No, no. What I mean--let me make it clear. The
    actual plan I believe the House passed was $496 billion. If it were 497,
    498, 495, something in that range, that's not--but if it's considerably
    below that, I think that would be a mistake. But I have no reason to
    believe the Senate is going well below that, and I certainly have no
    reason to believe that the conference report, that is, the final bill in
    the economic plan, would go well below it. That's the only point I was
    trying to make.

    Foreign Assistance

        Q. On a foreign aid question, international aid, some Members of
    Congress are now saying that because of domestic cutbacks, they may have
    difficulty in supporting foreign aid. And the question arises, is your
    Russian aid package in trouble on the Hill?
        President Clinton. Well, I would hope not. The United States has
    some very direct interests

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    in foreign aid. We have shown some real restraint in many of our foreign
    operations. Yesterday I announced, for example, the reorganization of
    our broadcasting operations. Even though we want an Asian democracy
    network along with Radio Free Europe and Radio and TV Marti and our
    other broadcasting efforts, we're going to reorganize and save some
    money there. And there are some other cutbacks in our foreign
    operations. But the United States still needs an aggressive program.
        And I would remind you what I have said before about Russia. That is
    a good investment for America. We're going to make a lot of money out of
    that over the long run because we'll be able to do joint ventures,
    because American companies will be able to more securely invest there.
    Just since we've been working, I can see the obstacles clearing for more
    investments by American companies there in ways that will benefit
    Americans. We will see a continued effort to denuclearize the Russian
    nuclear force which will enable us to continue to do the same thing. So
    it's a very good investment for the United States. And if democracy were
    reversed, that would be a bad thing for the United States. So I hope it
    will pass, and I think it will.

    Major General Harold N. Campbell

        Q. Mr. President, there is a long tradition of Commanders in Chief,
    Presidents, firing general officers for gross insubordination. Now that
    the Air Force has apparently confirmed General Campbell's remarks--I
    know you told us yesterday you didn't take personal offense. I'd like to
    know why you don't feel as Commander in Chief you need to take strong
    action at this time.
        President Clinton. Well, what I feel I need to do, sir, is to get a
    report from General McPeak first. And until I do that, I don't think I
    should say any more. This thing has proceeded in a very orderly fashion.
    And I was assured by the Secretary of Defense and by General McPeak that
    I would get a prompt and timely report, and when I do, then we'll decide
    what the appropriate thing to do is.

    Somalia

        Q. Can you clarify for us and maybe for the public what you see as
    the ultimate goal of the U.S.-led U.N. operation in Somalia? Is it to
    topple General Aideed? Is it to eliminate all his firepower, to bring
    him back to talks? What is it that we're doing?
        President Clinton. The ultimate goal is to restore the conditions of
    peace which existed before the Pakistanis were murdered. The ultimate
    goal is to make sure that the United Nations can fulfill its mission
    there and continue to work with the Somalis toward nation building and
    to achieve the objectives that President Nujoma spoke so eloquently
    about in the Oval Office just a moment ago, to make sure that the human
    needs of the people can be met and that we can continue to make progress
    there.
        Q. [Inaudible]--by his ability to turn this into something of a
    public relations disaster for the United States?
        President Clinton. Well, I don't know that it is that. It may be--
    the issue is whether the Pakistani soldiers erred, and that's for the
    United Nations to resolve. And I'm sure that it will. But you can't have
    these kinds of conflicts and expect them to be brutal and illegal on one
    side and then have a response and expect that there will be nothing
    controversial about it. That is not to exonerate or to condemn. The
    United Nations is looking into the Pakistani conduct. There are, I must
    tell you, conflicting allegations about what occurred and who was
    actually responsible for the deaths of all the civilians there, and we
    need to get to the bottom of it. And if procedures need to be changed,
    if training needs to be tightened, if discipline needs to be imposed,
    then I think that can be done. But the fundamental mission of the United
    Nations in Somalia has not changed. And I still believe it's a very
    important one.

    Congressional Black Caucus

        Q. Mr. President, in view of the talks that you had with members of
    the Congressional Black Caucus, is it still necessary for you to meet
    with the caucus before your plan goes to the House for a vote?
        President Clinton. I honestly don't know. I think I've now talked to
    probably 15 of them in the last several days. I think that depends, in
    part, on what the Senate does with the economic plan and what the
    understandings are about what's going to come out of the conference. So
    I think we'll have to wait and see what the Senate Committee does and
    then what the Senate actually adopts on the floor, and then we'll make a
    decision at that time. And of course, anytime they want to see me they

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    know that there's an open door. But whether a meeting is necessary will
    depend in large measure, I think, on what the Senate does.
        Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Nujoma.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:10 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House.