    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [October 16, 1997]
    [Pages 1376-1377]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    October 16, 1997

        Mr. President, Mr. Mayor, distinguished members of the Argentine
    Government, to the people of Argentina. It is a great honor for me,
    distinguished members of our Cabinet and the United States Congress, to
    stand on behalf of the American people before the tomb of a true hero of
    the Americas, General Jose Francisco de San Martin.
        I thank you, Mr. President, and all the people here for the warm
    welcome we have received. Mr. Mayor, I thank you for the key to the
    city. And I thank our friends in the press corps for showing me how to
    hold the key to the city. [Laughter]
        Before the monument to San Martin, it is well to remember that as we
    enter a new era and a new century, all our nations have become so far
    began with courageous visionaries, who dared to dream of independence at
    the dawn of our national histories. General San Martin often has been
    compared to George Washington, our first President and the commander of
    our forces in the Revolutionary War. Each man rose to the defense of his
    native land, though the risks were great and the odds of success were
    long. Both inspired confidence with their simple manners, modesty, and
    quiet but unbending determination. Both fought for liberty, not
    conquest. And after their victories breathed life into our fragile new
    nations, they refused the temptation of despotic rule, preferring
    instead to embrace the role of citizen.
        In 1819 a United States diplomat wrote to his superior of San
    Martin, ``I think him the greatest man I have seen in South America.''
    General San Martin was a proud Argentinean but also a citizen of the
    world, who gladly lent his aid to other nations seeking their freedom as
    well, and thus he became liberator and captain general of the Republic
    of Chile, generalissimo of the Republic of Peru. Even when he retired to
    France, the Belgians sought his leadership in their quest for
    independence.
        Today, at long last, the democracies of the Americas are living up
    to the legacy of San Martin. They respect each other's independence,
    stand ready to help each other and other countries beyond the hemisphere
    to prevent war, preserve peace, and prosper. In these endeavors,
    Argentina stands out. As guarantor of the Rio protocol, you are joining
    Chile, Brazil, and the United States in helping Ecuador and Peru pursue
    lasting peace. Your sons and daughters in the Argentine Armed Forces
    take on some of the most demanding missions of good will, helping war-
    torn lands around the world turn from conflict to cooperation. As close
    to home as Guatemala and Haiti, as far away as Bosnia, Cyprus, and
    Mozambique, Argentina has answered the call to peace. Some of your
    peacekeepers are with us here today. The United States, others who have
    worked with you, and most of all, the people you have helped around the
    world are in your debt, and on all their behalf, I thank you. In
    recognition of your country's extraordinary contributions to
    international peacekeeping, I have notified our Congress of my intention
    to designate Argentina as a major non-NATO ally under our laws.

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        Our alliance of values goes beyond our efforts against threats to
    peace and security, but it begins there. It also includes a commitment
    to freedom and democracy, a conviction that open markets are engines for
    progress, a determination to give all our people a chance to contribute
    and be rewarded for their efforts in the future we are building, a
    passionate belief in the potential of every child and the right of all
    children to a good education, a profound concern for the environment
    that we hold in trust for future generations.
        Near the end of his long life, General San Martin said, ``All
    progress is the child of time.'' Here at his final resting place, I say
    to you, I believe he would applaud the progress Argentina and all the
    Americas have made and the direction we are taking toward a new era of
    peace and prosperity. But I also believe he would remind us of the work
    still undone, the challenges still unmet. He would urge us to press on
    to make progress the child of this time.
        Clearly, we have the chance and the responsibility to redeem the
    promise of San Martin, beyond even his visionary dreams. And so, Mr.
    President, with high hopes, strong resolve, and generous spirits, let us
    take our chance and do our duty together.
        Thank you, and God bless the people of Argentina and the United
    States.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 9:20 a.m. in the Plaza San
    Martin. In his remarks, he referred to President Carlos Saul Menem of
    Argentina and Mayor Fernando de la Rua of Buenos Aires.