    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [August 13, 1994]
    [Page 1467]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Death of NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner
    August 13, 1994

        It was with deep sorrow and regret that I learned today of the death
    of NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner. On behalf of the American
    people, I convey the United States' most heartfelt condolences to Mrs.
    Woerner and the Woerner family.
        As Secretary General of NATO for the past 6 years and as a
    distinguished German statesman over the two preceding decades, Manfred
    Woerner's heroic leadership made an enduring contribution to democracy
    and security in Europe. He was a true and loyal friend of the United
    States and provided wise counsel to me and other Alliance heads of state
    and government. Even while he bravely fought his illness, Manfred
    Woerner worked tirelessly to transform our Alliance to meet the new
    challenges of the post-cold-war era and to direct its critical
    involvement in the search for peace in Bosnia. Manfred Woerner's central
    role in forging NATO's partnership with the new democracies of Eastern
    Europe and the former Soviet Union was a major contribution to our
    common effort to build an integrated transatlantic community.
        I will miss the candor, the friendship, and the good humor that
    Manfred Woerner displayed to the very end of his life. The transatlantic
    community has lost one of its finest citizens and leaders.