    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [March 26, 1998]
    [Pages 440-442]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters Following Discussions With Deputy President
    Thabo Mbeki of South Africa in Cape Town
    March 26, 1998

    President's Visit

        Q. Mr. President, what did you discuss, sir?
        President Clinton. First of all, I thanked Mr. Mbeki on behalf of
    the United States for the remarkable work that he and Vice President
    Gore have done on their Binational
    Commission on a whole range of issues affecting the economy, the
    environment, education, and a lot of our foreign policy issues. It's
    been a remarkable partnership, and it owes a lot to the leadership of
    Mr. Mbeki--a remarkable relationship.
        So we talked about that. We talked about some of the progress we are
    making in our long-term objectives for Africa. I reviewed my trip for
    him, talked about the declaration that the heads of government and state
    made yesterday in Entebbe.
        I pointed out that the United States has just made its first
    purchase--the Department of Defense has--from South Africa of a mobile
    demining equipment which has the interesting name of Chubby--named after
    me maybe. [Laughter] But it will help us a lot. We are increasing our
    budget this year for demining around the world, taking up these
    landmines. And President Mandela and South
    Africa have been leaders in the world of the movement to rid the world
    of landmines, and I think it's quite fitting that they have produced
    this great piece of equipment that we'll be able to use to take even
    more of the mines out of the land.

    [[Page 441]]

        Q. What's your impression, Mr. President, being the first American
    President to South Africa?
        President Clinton. Well, I'm thrilled. I've wanted to come here, as
    I've told you many times, for a long, long time. And Hillary was here a
    year ago this month; of course, the Vice President comes frequently; so
    I've heard a lot about it. And I've studied these pictures of Cape Town
    for years. I couldn't wait to--it's even more beautiful in person than
    it is in the photographs.
        Q. [Inaudible]--new perception of Africa, Mr. President, now that
    you've been here for the last 2 days?
        President Clinton. I'm sorry, what did you say?
        Q. Are you changing the perception for the American people, do you
    think, by being here?
        President Clinton. Well, I hope so. I hope--one of the main purposes
    of this trip for me was to enable the American people to see the new
    South Africa and a new Africa, to see the good, positive things that are
    happening in Africa, and to understand why it is very much in the
    interest of the American people to have a partnership with the nations
    of Africa for meeting the common challenges we're going to face in the
    21st century and for seizing the opportunities that we have in common.
        Today, when I speak to the South Africa Parliament, I will be joined
    by quite a large delegation of Americans, including a significant number
    of American business people who are interested in trade and investment
    possibilities here and other places in this continent. And I hope that
    the American people will see that.
        I think too often in the past, American images of Africa generally
    have come when there was a problem here or have been a part of the
    people thinking about traveling here because of the natural beauty and
    the wildlife. I don't think we see enough of the concrete possibilities
    for real partnership. And so I hope this trip will change that.

    Situation in Iraq

        Q. [Inaudible]--the inspectors today made an inspection of Iraqi
    sensitive sites, Presidential sites. Have you gotten any reports on
    that?
        President Clinton. No, but I'm glad that they're inspecting the
    sites. I think that's a good thing, and it means that so far the
    agreement is holding. And that's all we ever wanted. We just want to see
    the U.N. inspectors complete their work. So I'm encouraged.
        Press Secretary Mike McCurry. Last question. Thank you.
        President Clinton. One for Mr. Mbeki.

    Trade With Africa

        Q. You're quoted on French radio, Mr. Deputy President, as saying
    that Mr. Clinton's formula of trade, not aid, is wrong. Did you discuss
    this with him?
        Deputy President Mbeki. Well, I didn't say that of the President.
    [Laughter] And I've seen this particular newspaper, and it's wrong. I
    didn't say that. And I indeed--we receive significant amounts of aid
    from the U.S. Government. I don't think President Clinton is against us
    receiving aid. I don't think the question is correctly posed. What we
    are saying is, indeed, we need to move with regard to the development of
    Africa to address these matters of increased trade interaction between
    Africa and the rest of the world, including the United States, but that
    it's wrong to put that to say trade and therefore not aid, that you need
    to address both matters.
        And those particular remarks were general remarks, not directed
    against anybody or country.
        President Clinton. Let me--if I could just respond to that, my
    formula would be, with regard to Africa, we should have trade and aid.
    Indeed, I'm making an attempt at this very moment, along with our
    administration, to get aid levels through our United States Congress
    which would permit me to increase aid to Africa, to go back to our
    historically highest level of aid to Africa. But what I believe is that
    countries and individual citizens in the developing nations of the
    world, not just in Africa but throughout the world, will never be able
    to rise to the level of middle class nations with huge numbers of people
    earning good, sustainable incomes, unless they do it through the energy
    of private economic interchange, through trade and investment. I just
    think that the evidence is there that that is the case.
        On the other hand, to get countries to the take-off point and to
    deal with troubled populations or disadvantaged populations within
    developing countries, we have to continue the aid program. So while it's
    true that we're putting much more emphasis on trade and investment in
    the last 5 years, I don't think that we should abandon our aid approach.

    [[Page 442]]

        And in fact, just this morning, some of you went with me out to the
    housing project where you could see just across the highway that people
    had been living literally in shanties and were now in their own homes.
    And our aid programs contribute to the ability of people to build their
    own homes for themselves. Without the aid, they couldn't afford to do
    it. With the aid, they have a chance to have good housing and to become
    more prosperous citizens. So I think we should do both things.
        Thank you.

    Note: The exchange began at 2:40 p.m. at the Cape Grace Hotel. In his
    remarks, the President referred to President Nelson Mandela of South
    Africa. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
    exchange.