    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 29, 1995]
    [Pages 1802-1803]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Dinner Hosted by Prime Minister John Major of the
    United Kingdom in London
    November 29, 1995

        Prime Minister and Mrs. Major, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by
    saying how very grateful Hillary and I are to be here personally and
    representing the people of the United States. This has been a fine
    opportunity for me to meet with the Prime Minister and representatives
    of Her Majesty's Government to talk about our common interests, our
    shared values, our future agenda. It's also been a great opportunity for
    me personally to come back to this wonder-

    [[Page 1803]]

    ful city which I love so much and where I have such warm memories.
        Prime Minister, I want to thank you especially for welcoming here at
    your table my stepfather, for a personal reason. My late mother would
    love to be here tonight, and I miss her tonight especially because I
    tried in vain for 25 years to convince her that not every meal in London
    was steak and kidney pie or fish and chips. [Laughter]
        I want to say to all of you that I meant every word of the speech I
    gave in Parliament today. We have a relationship that is enduring and
    very special. If I might paraphrase one of my very favorite British
    citizens, 007, our relationship can never be stirred nor shaken.
    [Laughter] It will always be there; it will always be strong.
        And now we have a special responsibility. We have all the unique
    opportunities that are apparent to us to make peace and to make
    progress. But it will not happen unless we work at it, and it will not
    happen if we try to work at it alone. It will only happen if we work at
    it together.
        In Northern Ireland--I thank the Prime Minister for what he said--
    but the real thanks go to Prime Minister Major and to Prime Minister
    Bruton and his predecessor who were willing to take risks for peace. The
    United States supports those who take risks for peace. The risks may be
    political. We know they are severe. There's always a high risk of
    failure, as I said in Parliament today, and even if you fail, the people
    who wish you hadn't tried will hold it against you. Sometimes the risks
    are far, far greater, as the Prime Minister and I saw not so long ago
    when we buried our friend Prime Minister Rabin. But the work of peace is
    always important. Today, it is imperative because we can achieve it in
    so many places where just a short while ago it was impossible.
        The philosophy of the United States is simple and consistent. It
    runs in a seamless way from Northern Ireland to Bosnia to the Middle
    East. We will support those who take risks for peace. We will not
    attempt to tell people what peace they should make but only to urge on
    them the need to make peace at the soonest possible date in a fair and
    honorable and decent way.
        I look forward to my trip to Northern Ireland, and I look forward to
    doing whatever we can, consistent with our policy and the willingness of
    the parties to move on the path to peace.
        I'd like to also thank the Prime Minister and again the British
    people for the sacrifices they have made in Bosnia over the course of
    that long and painful war, for the risks to your soldiers, for the
    extraordinary humanitarian aid, for all the nameless people who are
    alive today because of what Great Britain has done in that terrible and
    difficult conflict.
        And I want to thank you anew for the very strong statement you made
    today in terms of the depth of commitment that you are prepared to make
    to implement this peace agreement. Together with our French and other
    allies, through NATO and with other nations who work in partnership with
    us, I believe we have a better than even chance to help bring peace to
    Bosnia because the parties made their peace at Dayton. And the parties,
    if they will keep their minds straight and their hearts pure, can make
    the peace live in the lives of the people of Sarajevo and throughout the
    nation. These are the kinds of things we have to do.
        I believe that the best days for democracy and freedom are before us
    but only if we face our challenges and only if we face them together.
        I brought only one note tonight I wanted to read because I don't
    want to mix the words up. In one of history's stranger coincidental
    meetings, Mark Twain appeared in New York City on a cold night in the
    year 1900 to introduce a lecture by a young adventurer and writer by the
    name of Winston Churchill. So much for your--I'm trying to remember--
    Rudyard Kipling said, ``Never the twain shall meet.'' He was wrong.
    [Laughter] In the introduction, this is what Mark Twain said about the
    British and the Americans: ``We have always been kin, kin in blood, kin
    in religion, kin in representative government, kin in ideals, kin in
    just and lofty purposes.'' Mark Twain was not being humorous on that
    night. He was right then; he is right tonight.
        I ask you to join me in a toast to Prime Minister and Mrs. Major and
    to the people of the wonderful nation of Great Britain.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 8:05 p.m. at 10 Downing
    Street. In his remarks, he referred to the Prime Minister's wife, Norma.