    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [January 11, 1999]
    [Pages 31-32]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the State Dinner Honoring President Carlos Menem of Argentina
    January 11, 1999

        Good evening. Welcome to the White House and to this wonderful
    dinner. As you can see, we had so many people who wanted to be here, who
    love Argentina and respect you, Mr. President, that we're in more than
    one room tonight. But we're all happy to be here, and Hillary and I
    welcome you all.
        Mr. President, we hope that we have, in some small way, repaid the
    hospitality you showed us during our unforgettable visit to Argentina in
    October of 1997. At our dinner in Buenos Aires, I cited the memory of
    Domingo Sarmiento, who loved the United States but who complained that
    we ate our meals far too fast, often in 5 minutes or less. [Laughter]
    Tonight I hope our guests from Argentina will see that we value
    constructive criticism. This will be a long, leisurely meal. [Laughter]
        The friendship between our two peoples reaches back to our earliest
    days as sister republics. In fact, our first envoy to Buenos Aires was
    sent well before there was a nation called Argentina. In 1810, as Joel
    Poinsett was leaving to take up his post in Argentina, he was instructed
    by the State Department to ``promote the most friendly relations''
    between us, and remember that all nations lie under--and I quote--``a
    common obligation to maintain that system of peace, justice, and good
    will which is the only source of happiness for nations.''
        Mr. President, those words are still a good description of our warm,
    rich, friendly relations. We share aspirations old and new, to deepen
    democracy, to strengthen justice, to educate our children, to preserve
    and enhance what we have inherited from our descendants, and to give
    other peoples a chance to live as peacefully and as prosperously as
    possible at the dawn of this new century.
        Now, there are certain disputes we will never resolve, like which
    country has the better beef or whose cooks have better mastered the
    ancient art of barbecue. [Laughter] But as we approach the 200th
    anniversary of our official relationships, our friendship has never been
    stronger. We have a common enthusiasm for the future and a common
    parallel in our history: two nations generously blessed, blessed by
    nature, blessed by hard-working immigrants eager to build a better life.
        Mr. President, I know how much this legacy means to you personally.
    It says a great deal about Argentina that a child of Syrian immigrants
    would grow up to be its President. It is remarkable to consider how far
    you have come and how far the nation has come under your leadership in
    the last 9 years.
        Over the last decade, the world has undergone a remarkable
    transformation. Nowhere has it been more dramatic or complete than in
    the Americas, where Argentina has led by its example at home and its
    commitment abroad to freedom and democracy, to peace and prosperity. A
    great deal of the credit for South America's achievements and for its
    promise belongs with the man we honor this evening.
        Borges once wrote a poem about our great 18th century theologian
    Jonathan Edwards. It included this line: ``Today is tomorrow and
    yesterday.'' Tonight let us remember the best days of our past and plan
    even better days yet to

    [[Page 32]]

    come. But first, let us enjoy an unhurried dinner together. [Laughter]
        I ask you to join me in a toast to the President and to the people
    of Argentina.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:33 p.m. on the State Floor at the White
    House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also
    included the remarks of President Menem.