    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [June 22, 1999]
    [Pages 991-992]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to Kosovar Refugees at Stenkovic I Refugee Camp in Skopje
    June 22, 1999

        Thank you. Thank you very much. First of all, I would like to thank
    all the people who have shared time with my family and me, all these
    children and their parents. And I would like to say a special word of
    appreciation to all the workers here who have come from all over the
    world to help you recover your lives. I thank them very much.
        The second thing I would like to say is that I have brought with me
    a number of people who helped me make sure the United States and NATO
    did the right thing by the people of Kosovo, and they are also very
    proud to be here. And I want to thank them, and I hope you will thank
    them--Mr. Berger and all the other people
    on our team--because we're proud of what we did because we think it's
    what America stands for, that no one ever--ever--should be punished and
    discriminated against or killed or uprooted because of their religion or
    their ethnic heritage. And we are honored to be here with you.

    [[Page 992]]

        I just want to say a couple of more words before the rain comes
    down. The first thing is that we are committed not only to making Kosovo
    safe but to helping people rebuild their lives, rebuild their
    communities, and then to helping Kosovo and all the countries of the
    region build a brighter, more prosperous future based on respect for the
    human rights of all people.
        Now, I promised all these wonderful people from all over the world
    who are here working for you that I would also say this: I know a lot of
    people are anxious to go home. Many have already left. But you know
    there are still a lot of landmines in the ground on the routes into
    Kosovo and in many of the communities. We are bringing in the best
    people in the world to take those mines up. Every year the United States
    does more than half that work all around the world. It is hard work; it
    is dangerous work.
        You have suffered enough. I don't want any child hurt. I don't want
    anyone else to lose a leg or an arm or a child because of a landmine. So
    I ask you, please be patient with us. Give us a couple of more weeks to
    take the landmines up, if the people here ask you to do that, because
    you are going to be able to go back in safety and security. I want to
    make sure it is a happy return.
        You have given my family and me a day we will remember for the rest
    of our lives. All we want is for you to be able to live your lives. But
    I ask you to remember that the United States did not act alone. All of
    our NATO Allies felt the same way, in Canada and Europe. And the
    President of the United States never acts alone; it is the American
    people who care about you, who believe in you, who want you to be free,
    who want you to be able to go home.
        Thank you, and God bless you.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 4:20 p.m. on the grounds of
    the camp. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary
    also included the remarks of the First Lady.