    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [December 5, 1994]
    [Pages 2147-2148]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the American Community in Budapest
    December 5, 1994

        Thank you, Ambassador Blinken and Mrs. Blinken, ladies and
    gentlemen, and boys and girls, and people associated with the American
    Embassy, with our CSCE delegation, to the Peace Corps volunteers, the
    American-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce members who are here.
        I am delighted to be here on this all-too-brief trip. I'd like to
    point out some of the people who came with me: Our Ambassador to the
    United Nations, Madeleine Albright, is here; and from the United States
    Congress, Senator Dennis DeConcini from Arizona, Congressman Steny Hoyer
    from Maryland, and Congressman and Mrs. Tom Lantos from Hungary--and
    California.
        This is a very important trip for the United States because I came
    here to reaffirm our Nation's commitment to a secure and united Europe.
    As the Ambassador said, we put the START I nuclear reduction treaty into
    effect today, and Ukraine has joined Belarus and Kazakhstan in acceding
    to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We strengthened the CSCE to help to
    prevent ethnic and regional conflicts. So as a result of what has
    happened today, this world is a safer place.
        The START I treaty alone will permit us to reduce the nuclear
    arsenals of the United States and the former Soviet Union countries by
    9,000 nuclear warheads, to destroy delivery systems with the best
    verification systems ever. It will permit us to now start work on START
    II, which will cut our arsenals by another 5,000 warheads. This means
    that when we finish this work, we will have reduced the nuclear arsenals
    of the world by more than two-thirds over their cold war height. That's
    good news for the children in this audience and for the rest of us as
    well.
        One of the things that we have got to do now is to keep working
    until we achieve next year an indefinite extension of the Non-
    Proliferation Treaty, so that we can continue to keep down the risks of
    the development of nuclear weapons, especially in an era in which the
    biggest problem may be the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
    to heretofore unusual and unconventional hands.
        I'd like to say a brief word about this CSCE meeting. The United
    States believes the CSCE has a vital role to play in promoting democracy
    and diminishing conflict throughout Europe. We believe it can help
    nations work together to bring democracy and prosperity to their peoples
    and to continue our effort of promoting European unity.
        Our host, Hungary, like its democratic neighbors, is making steady
    and strong progress toward full integration into Europe. I believe it
    can and will complete its transformation to a free market. I believe its
    commitment to playing an important, responsible role in the new Europe
    is good news for all of us.
        Last January, almost a year ago, I went to Brussels and then on to
    Prague and on to Russia to begin the work of building a new and united
    Europe. In the nearly one year since, I have come back to this continent
    three times to work toward that goal.
        From our initiatives to open and to expand NATO, to reducing the
    threat of nuclear weapons, to making trade more free and fair, to
    building up institutions like the CSCE, to working toward preventing
    conflicts before they get out of hand, through all these efforts, this
    European Continent is becoming more secure, more prosperous, and more
    united.
        Yes, there are problems, and there always will be as long as human
    beings populate the globe. But we are clearly moving in the right
    direction, and that is good for the United States.
        As I close, let me say a special word of thanks to the American
    missions in Hungary and to the CSCE staff. I didn't want to leave
    Budapest without having a chance just to tell you how much we appreciate
    your service, your sacrifice at a time of very great challenge. I also
    thank the Peace Corps volunteers for their important

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    contributions. They represent the best of our country around the world.
    I'm very proud of all of you. I thank you for the warm welcome today. I
    wish I had longer to stay, but this is a wonderful way to end the trip.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:45 p.m. at Hangar LRI-1 at Ferihegi
    Airport. In his remarks, he referred to Donald M. Blinken, U.S.
    Ambassador to Hungary, and his wife, Vera; and Annette Lantos, wife of
    Representative Tom Lantos.