    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [June 20, 1997]
    [Pages 773-774]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Romano
    Prodi of Italy in Denver
    June 20, 1997

    Proposed Tobacco Agreement

        Q. Mr. President, could we ask you one question again--I'm sorry--on
    tobacco? Apparently, Mr. Kessler is already a little bit skeptical about
    the agreement, particularly as it concerns regulating nicotine levels.
    Could the White House

    [[Page 774]]

    be in a position of rejecting this agreement? What are your concerns
    over nicotine levels?
        President Clinton. Well, of course we could. We could be in a
    position of rejecting it or accepting it; I haven't seen it yet.
        I received a letter--I was told that I received a letter after I
    left to come out here, from Dr. Kessler and Dr. Koop, both of whom, as
    you know, have worked with me very closely on this issue, asking for a
    reasonable amount of time for them to evaluate this. And I think that
    they should evaluate it, and of course I care very deeply about what
    they say. I have worked with them on a whole range of issues. And we
    want to see what it says.
        The test should be, does it preserve clear and unambiguous
    jurisdiction for the FDA in important areas, and is the money spent in
    an appropriate way so that we advance the protection of public health
    and reduce children smoking? That's it. It's a simple test for me and
    I--but I can't comment on it because I haven't seen it. And I think that
    it's the same for them. You would expect them to put up a few little red
    flags, but we all ought to--these folks have been working hard and
    they've done their best, and now we should look at it and make our
    judgments.
        Let me say to the American press, while you're here, I want to thank
    Prime Minister Prodi and the members of his government for the
    extraordinary leadership that Italy has shown in the Balkans, working
    with us in Bosnia, being a very effective member of the contact group,
    providing support for American actions there, without which we would not
    have been able to proceed, and then, most recently, for really an almost
    unprecedented effort to lead a multinational force in Albania. I will
    predict to you that in future years we will look back on this Italian
    effort and see it as a real watershed in European leadership for
    promoting security and minimizing disruption. I just wanted to thank him
    and say that to you, sir.
        Prime Minister Prodi. Thank you.

    Bosnia and Albania

        Q. Mr. Prodi, on Bosnia, do you believe that the multinational force
    should stay after 1998? Do you have any concerns that fighting will
    still break out?
        Prime Minister Prodi. I have some concerns, but we shall talk about
    that in our conversation. And of course, the Bosnian situation is very
    complex and a program to end it in a short time is not easy to solve.
    But we came here just to talk of this problem.
        Q. Thank you.

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

        President Clinton. I would like to say that it's a great honor for
    us to have Prime Minister Prodi and the distinguished members of his
    government here. And I want to also say that the United States is deeply
    grateful for Italy's leadership in promoting peace in the Balkans,
    especially the work that we have done together in Bosnia. The United
    States could not have done its job in Bosnia without the support of
    Italy.
        And I am especially grateful for the leadership that Italy has shown
    in Albania. It is an almost unprecedented effort to put together a
    European initiative to minimize the troubles of Albania, which are the
    kinds of things that we will be dealing with for a long time. And I
    believe that in years to come, we will look back on the Italian effort
    here as a dramatic historic breakthrough in the capacity of the European
    nations to promote peace and deal with difficulties.

    Note: The exchange began at 4:25 p.m. at the Brown Palace Hotel. In his
    remarks, the President referred to David A. Kessler, former Commissioner
    of Food and Drugs, and C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General.