[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
[July 12, 1997]
[Pages 953-954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Poul 
Nyrup Rasmussen of Denmark in Copenhagen
July 12, 1997

NATO and the Baltics

    Q. Have you been--[inaudible]?
    President Clinton. We've made a very clear statement that every 
democracy in Europe who wishes to join should be eligible to join at the 
appropriate time and that we will take regular reviews, the first one in 
1999. And that applies to the Baltics as well as other countries. I must 
say that I want to thank the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister for 
taking the same position. We should remain open for business, if you 
will, for all, because we're trying to bring Europe together, including 
Russia and Ukraine and others, and that is our mission.
    Q. Are they in a better position today than before the Madrid 
Summit--the Baltic countries?
    President Clinton. I think they are, because it's the first time 
NATO has taken this public position, with the heads of governments 
saying we would be open to all. They've said it before, but in a 
different forum. So this is the first sort of public statement about our 
long-term plan over the next decade or two.

Denmark-U.S. Relations

    Q. Will you--[inaudible]?
    President Clinton. Sorry, I'm hard of hearing. Well, let me say, we 
have had a wonderful partnership with Denmark. It's been an unusual one, 
and I think we will continue our partnership.

President's Visit

    Q. How do you like your visit?
    President Clinton. I love it. You know, I was last here in 1969 as a 
poor student, and I had a wonderful time and I have never forgotten it. 
I've always wanted to come back. I only wish

[[Page 954]]

I could stay longer, especially because it's so warm and the jazz 
festival is going on.
    Prime Minister Rasmussen. We wish that too, President.
    Q. How do you like the Danish hospitality?
    President Clinton. I love it, don't you?
    Q. Is this the first time you've been here?
    President Clinton. Since 1969. I was here in December of 1969. I 
loved it then, and I like it now, a lot.
    Q. Mr. President, is this a fitting end to a busy week?
    President Clinton. It's a wonderful end to a busy week because we 
have had no stronger ally and freedom has had no stronger friend than 
Denmark over the last several years. Denmark has taken a leading role in 
NATO and is working for expansion and working for the resolution of our 
agreement with Russia and Ukraine and in Bosnia. Denmark has been with 
us in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Denmark has been in 
Albania, where we have not been. It is a remarkable country, and this is 
a fitting end of the week because this is the week in which together, we 
with our NATO allies, I believe went a very long way toward creating a 
Europe which will be free of war, which will have more freedom, and 
which will be undivided, really for the first time in its history.

Bosnia

    Q. You know Congress has voted that you--we cease any operations or 
any participation in Bosnia after June 1998. Do you go along with that?
    President Clinton. I believe the present operation will have run its 
course by then, and we'll have to discuss what, if any, involvement the 
United States should have there. I will say this. Our involvement there 
in the last--the SFOR operation, which is much, much reduced; we have 
fewer than half the troops we had there when we started. It's been much 
less expensive and much less hazardous to America than a resumption of 
full-scale war in Bosnia would be. So I think it's been a very good 
thing we've done, and I would hope the American people are very proud of 
it.

Note: The exchange began at 2:52 p.m. in the Prime Minister's Office at 
Christianborg Palace. In his remarks, the President referred to Minister 
of Foreign Affairs Niels Helveg Petersen of Denmark. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of this exchange.