    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [April 19, 1996]
    [Page 601]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 601]]

    Remarks at Kazan Cathedral and an Exchange With Reporters in
    St. Petersburg
    April 19, 1996

        The President. This morning, I have had three very moving
    experiences: first at the cemetery, the most powerful reminder
    imaginable about the heroism of the Russian soldiers and the devotion of
    Russian citizens to the freedom of this country, and then at the Russian
    Museum, a wonderful picture of the magnificent history of Russian art,
    and of course here at this cathedral with its remarkable story, a
    reminder of the power of belief in the spirit in Russian history and the
    Russian character.
        These experiences remind us of Russia's past and its achievements of
    the present and the remarkable changes that are going on. They also give
    me great confidence in the future of this country and what we can
    accomplish together in the spirit of peace and mutual respect and
    genuine partnership. And so, I feel a great deal of gratitude to the
    people of St. Petersburg today for these experiences that I have shared
    with them, and I thank them for giving me the opportunity that I have
    enjoyed, especially this remarkable moment at the cathedral, learning of
    its past, its present, and what we all hope will be its future.
        Thank you.

    Middle East Peace Process

        Q. Mr. President, at a place of peace like this church, what
    thoughts might be coming--Mr. President, coming to a place of peace like
    this great cathedral, I wonder if it might bring to mind any thoughts
    for your peace effort in the Middle East?
        The President. Well, I think that the parties have got to agree to a
    cease-fire. It's obvious that they're neighbors, and as we have seen in
    the terrible events of the last few days, once someone starts the spiral
    of violence, it's hard to stop. And because the rockets are fired from
    the areas they're fired from, it's almost impossible for innocent
    civilians not to be hurt and killed.
        We had the situation there in hand, as you know, for more than 2
    years because of the peace agreement that was brokered in '93 by the
    Secretary of State. He is going back there. Mr. Ross is there. We are
    doing our very best.
        Q. Do you have any information that would lead you to believe that
    both sides will agree to the cease-fire, and what's the status right now
    of the negotiations?
        The President. Well, I'm getting regular updates. Mr. Ross is--I
    think he is actually there now, and the Secretary of State will go as
    quickly as he finishes his talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister. And
    obviously, we have direct contacts with all the parties involved. I
    think they are looking for a way to stop the fighting, and so I am
    somewhat hopeful.
        I do believe they are looking for a way to stop it. I think that
    it's obvious now that there's almost no way to contain it or prevent the
    loss of innocent life once the rockets start firing and the retaliation
    begins. So I think we have a chance, and we are going to work very hard
    today and tomorrow and see if we can do it.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:05 p.m. A tape was not available for
    verification of the content of these remarks.