    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [October 3, 1994]
    [Pages 1678-1679]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Welcoming Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan and Foreign Minister
    Shimon Peres of Israel
    October 3, 1994

        Good morning. I'm happy to welcome back to the White House both
    Crown Prince Hassan and Foreign Minister Peres. We've had a productive
    session today. Jordan and Israel have taken further and very specific
    steps on the road to building a warm peace between their two nations.
        Almost exactly a year ago, Crown Prince Hassan and Foreign Minister
    Peres and I met to launch this trilateral process. What a difference a
    year makes. Since then, intensive bilateral and

    [[Page 1679]]

    trilateral negotiations culminated just 2 months ago in the historic
    meeting I hosted here between King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin when
    they signed the Washington Declaration and put an end to war between
    their two nations.
        Since then, peace treaty negotiations have made considerable
    progress, and steps to implement the warm peace all three of our nations
    want have already been taken. Jordan and Israel have already opened a
    border crossing for citizens of other nations at Aqaba and Eilat. And
    trilateral discussions on tourism, communications, and economic
    development are proceeding.
        These discussions take place at a time when the economic and trade
    barriers of the past are dissolving before our eyes. It's heartening
    that the Gulf Cooperation Council states, led by Saudi Arabia, have now
    declared that they will no longer enforce the secondary and tertiary
    aspects of the economic boycott and will support a move in the Arab
    League to end the primary boycott of Israel. Promoting trade,
    development, and cooperation, rather than restraining and hindering
    normal economic relations, should be the hallmark of the new Middle
    East, and Jordan and Israel are leading the way.
        Today the Crown Prince and the Foreign Minister have reached
    agreement on a variety of issues that will help develop the Jordan Rift
    Valley, increase tourism, and assure future economic and social progress
    in the region. They have agreed to adopt basic principles to guide the
    future development of the Jordan Rift Valley, including projects dealing
    with the environment, water, energy, and tourism; to open a new northern
    border crossing for third-country nationals by October 15th; to
    establish a Red Sea marine peace park with assistance from the United
    States Government; to convene a conference on exploring constructing a
    canal between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea; to explore the establishment
    of a free trade zone in the Aqaba-Eilat area with a view to making it an
    economic hub for the northern peninsula of the Red Sea; to conduct,
    together with the United States, feasibility studies to expand the
    availability of water and to undertake joint financings of dams on the
    Yarmuk and Jordan Rivers to alleviate water shortages.
        That's quite a lot of work for them in this session. They are solid
    evidence that Jordan and Israel have not only ended their state of war
    but are following through on their commitment to cooperate with each
    other and negotiate as rapidly as possible a final peace treaty. Our
    goal remains a comprehensive peace between Israel and all its Arab
    neighbors. We're hopeful that a breakthrough can be achieved in the
    negotiations underway between Israel and Syria and Israel and Lebanon.
        In their ongoing talks, Israel and Jordan have looked to the
    trilateral discussions to help establish a comprehensive, lasting, and
    warm peace. The steps we announce today are the building blocks of a
    modern peace between these ancient lands. The United States is proud to
    be a partner and facilitator in this extraordinary endeavor.
        Crown Prince Hassan and Foreign Minister Peres, on behalf of the
    American people and personally, let me say that I salute your vision,
    your courage, and your persistence. This has been a relationship that
    has meant a great deal not only to me but to all of us in this country
    because of the incredible openness that you have displayed and the
    creativity you have brought to these negotiations. I am grateful that
    the United States has been able to play a role in this process, grateful
    for the opportunity that we have had to try to facilitate an
    extraordinary coming together between two extraordinary nations and very
    extraordinary leaders.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:52 a.m. in the West Lobby at the White
    House.