[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
[September 26, 1994]
[Page 1631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Luncheon for Heads of State in New York City
September 26, 1994

    Mr. Secretary-General, distinguished heads of state and government, 
your Excellencies, guests: First, I think I can speak for all of us in 
thanking the Secretary-General for his remarks, for his hospitality, and 
most important of all, for his very strong leadership of the United 
Nations.
    Mr. Secretary-General, you have taken the ideas of peace, help, and 
security that are at the heart of the U.N.'s mission and worked hard to 
make them a reality. As the cold war has ended, the world has looked to 
the U.N. for even more assistance and leadership. You have met this 
challenge by effectively placing the U.N. at the forefront of 
international affairs. Your leadership has been particularly apparent in 
the improvements of the U.N.'s peacekeeping operations. There are now 
approximately 70,000 peacekeepers deployed around the world, some 5 
times the number when you took office. Collaboration among nations is 
improving, and the operations are growing more efficient.
    Your initiatives at the Cairo conference, your efforts to improve 
coordination of development assistance, the establishment of an 
independent inspector general and meaningful cost controls and your work 
to improve the U.N.'s field operations, all these are testaments to your 
outstanding leadership.
    Above all, you have focused on the use of diplomacy to prevent 
bloodshed and conflict and on building the kinds of permanent 
institutions that lead to long-term stability within and, as you have so 
eloquently stated, among nations. For these things and more, all of us 
applaud you.
    Today, opportunities abound to build a world in which democracy 
reigns, respect for human rights is the rule, political stability 
expands, economic prosperity is shared by all. These things will not 
occur, however, unless we commit ourselves to a cooperative spirit 
unmatched in all human history. That is our challenge. As leaders of 
member states, we must take responsibility for making the U.N. more 
responsive and more effective than it has ever been. Only in this way 
can the U.N. remain a positive force for change and a symbol of justice 
and hope for the world.
    Mr. Secretary-General, you have kept our focus on building the kind 
of organization that can effectively turn our ideals into reality. We 
thank you for your vision.
    As the United Nations approaches its 50th birthday, let us all 
pledge to continue to work together for the promise of a better 
tomorrow. And let us raise our glasses in toast to the Secretary-General 
and to that promise.

Note: The President spoke at 1:45 p.m. at the United Nations Building.