    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [September 22, 1997]
    [Pages 1213-1214]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to Discussions With Foreign Minister Yevgeniy Primakov of
    Russia and an Exchange With Reporters in New York City
    September 22, 1997

        The President. Let me briefly say that it's a pleasure for me to see
    Foreign Minister Primakov here and to renew our relationship and our
    dialog. You also know that the Vice President is now in Moscow for his
    regular meeting with Prime Minister Chernomyrdin. And we have a lot of
    work to do. But I am very encouraged at the progress in our
    relationships and in our partnership over the last year or so.
        I had a great meeting with President Yeltsin in Helsinki. We were
    together again in Paris and, of course, in Denver. And among other
    things, Mr. Primakov and I will be discussing our partnership in Bosnia
    and our partnership for arms control today--places where we look forward
    to greater progress.
        So I'm glad to see him, and I'm delighted to have this chance to
    visit.
        Would you like to say anything?

    [[Page 1214]]

        Foreign Minister Primakov. Thank you very much for receiving me, Mr.
    President. It is a great honor for me and also a chance to discuss the
    issues that you have just mentioned. I've brought for you a message from
    President Yeltsin. This is the reply to your latest message to him. You
    will see that, for yourself, it mentions our very big interest in having
    our relations with the United States develop further on many tracks, not
    just our desire to do so but also our willingness.
        Last night we had a very exciting, very productive talk with the
    Secretary of State. And already, based on that talk, I got a signal
    coming from Moscow--Madam was asking why I am not being authorized to do
    certain things. Well, most probably what is at issue is the protocol,
    because that's something that your Vice President already mentioned.
    [Laughter] This is to indicate the rapid way the United States operates,
    and we are far removed, as yet, from that. [Laughter]
        The President. Thank you very much.

    1996 Campaign Financing

        Q. Mr. President, the Justice Department now says it apparently has
    memos that indicate you were urged to make another 40 fundraising calls.
    Sir, what do you recall of these memos, and were the calls made or were
    they not?
        The President. Well, I've already said I don't know--I haven't
    read--I don't know what you're talking about on the memos because I
    haven't seen them, so I can't comment on that. I've already answered
    about the calls.
        Let me just say this. I believe what the Vice President did and what
    I did was legal, and I am absolutely certain that we believed we were
    acting within the letter of the law. And I'm going to cooperate however
    I can to establish the facts, but I think that's important that you and
    the American people understand that, that I certainly--I believed then
    and I believe now what we did was legal. But I am absolutely positive
    that we intended to be firmly within the letter of the law when we were
    out there campaigning and raising funds as we should have been doing. We
    had to do that.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:45 p.m. in the U.S. Mission at the
    United Nations. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Viktor
    Chernomyrdin and President Boris Yeltsin of Russia. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of these remarks.