[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.