    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [September 28, 1995]
    [Page 1509]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1509]]

    Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Middle East Leaders
    September 28, 1995

    Middle East Peace Process

        Q. Mr. President, what message should the world get from seeing this
    group assembled here together today?
        President Clinton. Well, first of all, this is truly an historic
    meeting. The people here represented have never sat together before. And
    we have the Foreign Ministers of virtually the entire Arab League here.
    There's never been, even when we were here last--September 2 years ago,
    we didn't have this kind of representation.
        And the message to the world is that the peoples of the Middle East
    are coming together. They're moving toward peace. They're determined to
    reach an honorable, a just, and a lasting peace.
        Q. When do you expect President Asad to join you here, Mr.
    President? When do you expect President Asad of Syria to be here with
    you?
        President Clinton. We don't want to give expectations. All I can
    tell you is that the message that should come out of this meeting is the
    peoples of the Middle East are moving toward peace.
        Q. President Mubarak, what do you think of this accord? And do you
    think it is the biggest step in the right direction?
        President Hosni Mubarak. I think it's a very good accord. And I can
    say that it's a very historic one. It's a very good indication about the
    peace which all of us hope can be maintained and cover all the Middle
    East.
        Q. Are the toughest decisions yet to come?
        President Clinton. There are always tough decisions on the road to
    peace. But look at what's happened. Look at what His Majesty King
    Hussein and--look at this agreement today. We're moving in the right
    direction. That's all anyone could ask. And the United States is very,
    very pleased about it.

    [At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group
    entered.]

        Q. Mr. President, to what limit can the United States guarantee the
    honest implementation for that agreement?
        President Clinton. I don't know that the United States is in a
    position of guaranteeing it, but we have worked with these parties, and
    we have confidence that there will be an honest effort made to implement
    the agreement.
        And I think the fact that President Mubarak would come here--he has
    been a very positive force in these negotiations--His Majesty King
    Hussein would come here for this should be evidence that all of us have
    a high level of confidence that we will be able to work together to help
    this agreement be implemented.
        And that will be my message to the others who are coming here from
    around the world today. Every nation says that it is a friend of peace
    in the Middle East. Now we must all help this peace to succeed in every
    way that we possibly can. And the leaders of your region by coming here
    today have, I think, given great energy and inspiration to that and will
    increase the chances that this historic meeting will lead to the proper
    implementation of the agreement and to rewarding the courage of the
    Israelis and the Palestinians who have made it.

    Note: The exchange began at 10:50 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House prior to discussions with King Hussein I of Jordan, President
    Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestine
    Liberation Organization, and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel. A
    tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.