    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [March 15, 1995]
    [Pages 357-358]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a State Dinner Honoring King Hassan II of Morocco
    March 15, 1995

        Ladies and gentlemen, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, members
    of the Moroccan delegation, distinguished guests: Hillary and I are
    delighted to welcome you to America's home. I have been grateful for
    this opportunity to get to know Your Majesty and to appreciate

    [[Page 358]]

    the wise counsel you have given to every American President since John
    Kennedy.
        In fact, your relationship with our country's leaders, I have
    learned, goes back even further than that. In January of 1943, at the
    height of World War II, you were present when your father, Mohammed V,
    hosted the Casablanca summit between President Roosevelt and Prime
    Minister Churchill. History does not record what advice you gave
    President Roosevelt and the Prime Minister, but I did note that,
    thereafter, the war turned decisively to the Allies' advantage.
    [Laughter] So, clearly, you gave good advice.
        I also noted that when President Roosevelt and Prime Minister
    Churchill were in Casablanca, Mr. Roosevelt thought he had to come home
    and go to work, and Prime Minister Churchill made him stay in Morocco
    for 3 more days to see the beautiful sights. My staff never lets me do
    that. [Laughter] So we have not made progress in every respect since the
    1940's.
        Your Majesty, you have written that in the joyous moment following
    the declaration of Morocco's independence, your father pulled you aside
    and said, ``We have passed through a difficult trial. But the road ahead
    will be long and hard. We do not have the right to disappoint the
    faithful and courageous people who have placed their trust in us.'' For
    the past 34 years, you have lived by your father's admonition. And by
    pursuing progress for the Moroccan people and peace for all the peoples
    of your region, you have truly fulfilled his legacy.
        The American people especially admire your steadfast devotion to
    securing a comprehensive peace among all the peoples of the Middle East.
    In a region where passion and hatred have so often overwhelmed cooler
    heads and clearer minds, yours has always been a voice of reason and
    tolerance. Quoting from the Koran, you have said, ``If two groups of
    believers fight each other, endeavor to reconcile them.'' You have been
    tireless in your pursuit of reconciliation. You have helped the
    countries of the Middle East turn on the past and start a new chapter of
    peaceful coexistence.
        Your Majesty, you have spoken of your beloved Morocco as a bridge
    between East and West, between Islam and the Judeo-Christian faiths,
    between respect for tradition and openness to the future. Under your
    leadership, that bridge, which runs from the tip of Europe to the sands
    of the Sahara and joins the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, that bridge
    has risen high as a beacon of hope.
        And for all those reasons, ladies and gentlemen, honored guests,
    please join me in raising a glass to His Majesty, King Hassan II, to the
    Prince and the Princess who are here, and to the people of Morocco, who
    have done so much to build the bridges of understanding and peace.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:45 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the
    White House.