    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
    [July 3, 1997]
    [Page 915]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Resignation of Ambassador Molly Raiser as Chief of
    Protocol
    July 3, 1997

        It is with great sadness that I accepted today Ambassador Molly
    Raiser's resignation as Chief of Protocol, effective July 24. But it is
    with even greater thanks and pride that I look back upon her years of
    service and the extraordinary job she has done to ensure effective
    American engagement in the world.
        No one knows better than Ambassador Raiser the amount of planning
    and the attention to detail that goes into our Nation's foreign policy.
    And no one has done more to make the conduct of that policy
    professional, precise, and smooth. From the war-torn streets of Sarajevo
    to Denver's gleaming city center, Ambassador Raiser brought elegance and
    energy to the business of foreign affairs and set a standard for all who
    worked with her. She made foreign guests feel welcome when they visited
    the United States and helped me feel at home whenever I traveled abroad.
    She represented me and the interests of our Nation with insight,
    judgment, and grace.
        I extend Ambassador Raiser my warmest thanks for a job well done,
    and wish her every possible success in all her future endeavors.