    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [April 25, 1999]
    [Pages 628-629]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Opening of North Atlantic Council Meeting With the
    Frontline States
    April 25, 1999

        Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary General. We want to welcome the leaders of all the frontline
    states here and say that we are very grateful for what you have done.
    The people of Albania and Macedonia have welcomed almost half a million
    refugees to their countries, often, literally, into their homes. You
    have shared what you have, though the strains are immense. NATO is
    working to relieve your burden with the United Nations by building
    camps, providing supplies, helping to bring more refugees to other
    countries until they can return to Kosovo. We must do more, intensifying
    our relief operations, taking our share of refugees.
        The nations of the region have risked and even faced armed
    confrontation with Serbia, by facilitating and supporting our campaign
    to end the bloodshed in Kosovo. Yesterday--or Friday, NATO made its
    position very clear. We said, unambiguously, if Belgrade challenges its
    neighbors as a result of the presence of NATO, we will respond.
        The nations of the region have faced enormous economic dislocation
    and losses. We are committed to working with you and with multilateral
    institutions to ease your emergency needs and help you with your debts.
    You want a better future for your nations and your region, and there, as
    well, we are committed to help.
        Many of us have tried to lay out a vision for the region, a positive
    alternative to the violence and ethnic hatred, a vision of people and
    nations working together, bridging old divides, forging a common future
    of peace, freedom, and prosperity. How do we get there?
        First of all, we must prevail in Kosovo. A just end to the conflict
    is essential to putting the entire region on the path to stability.
    Second, we must strengthen our efforts to support economic development
    and deeper democracy, ethnic and religious tolerance, and regional
    integration in southeastern Europe. We must build on the many positive
    ways in which the nations of the region, often with our support, already
    are bringing change at home, in cooperation across borders.
        In that regard, I want to especially commend Slovenia's strong
    efforts in recent years to reach out to its neighbors. We will work
    toward the day when all the people of the region, including

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    the Serbs now suffering under reckless tyranny, enjoy freedom and live
    together.
        This will require a commitment by nations of the region to continue
    political and economic reforms. And I particularly respect the efforts
    of Bulgaria and Romania in this regard, to stick with their programs
    under very difficult circumstances.
        It will require that we sustain our engagement. I welcome the
    suggestion of the German-EU Presidency to hold a conference in Bonn next
    month to advance these common efforts. I hope our finance ministers,
    when they meet here next week with international financial institutions,
    will explore imaginative and aggressive ways for us to help.
        Finally, we must continue to strengthen the security bonds between
    your countries and NATO. Five of the nations here are NATO partners.
    Yesterday NATO and its partners agreed to deepen our security
    engagement. We will continue to work with Bosnia and Croatia on
    implementation of the Dayton accords, looking toward eventual
    partnership. And yesterday NATO adopted a robust membership action plan
    to help aspiring nations strengthen their candidacy so they can enter
    NATO. New members will bolster our Alliance and Europe's security.
        In all the countries present here today, leaders and citizens are
    working to realize a vision just the opposite of Mr.
    Milosevic's, reaching across the divides
    to pursue shared dreams of a better life. All of them are on the right
    road, and we must travel it with them to ensure that they succeed.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 9:16 a.m. at the Mellon
    Auditorium. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary General Javier
    Solana of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and President Slobodan
    Milosevic of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
    The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also
    included the remarks of Secretary General Solana.