    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [June 8, 1999]
    [Pages 899-900]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Welcoming Ceremony for President Arpad Goncz of Hungary
    June 8, 1999

        President and Mrs. Goncz; ladies
    and gentlemen: In the early 1850's, the great Hungarian patriot Lajos
    Kossuth came to this country and to this house to seek support for
    restoring liberty to his nation. He said then, ``To find the sunlight of
    freedom, we must come to America.'' Kossuth would be proud today that
    his statement no longer holds, that the sunlight of freedom shines in
    Hungary and all across the world.
        In the past year, I have had the privilege to welcome to the White
    House extraordinary leaders who risked their lives in the struggle for
    liberty, were imprisoned for their beliefs and activism, and now have
    emerged in freedom's sunlight as the Presidents of their nations: Kim
    Dae-jung of South Korea, Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, Nelson
    Mandela of South Africa. Today, with freedom at last shining brightly in
    Hungary, I have the great honor and pleasure to welcome President Arpad
    Goncz, our friend, our partner, our ally.
        Let me begin with a few words about our common enterprise in Kosovo.
    For 77 days we have been working to achieve a simple set of objectives
    there: the return of refugees with safety and self-government; the
    withdrawal of all Serbian forces; the deployment of an international
    security force with NATO at its core. Last Thursday Serb authorities
    accepted a peace plan that embodies those conditions. Today in Bonn we
    took another important step forward. The G-8 countries now have agreed
    to language of a United Nations Security Council resolution that will
    help us to realize these basic goals, peace with security for the people
    of Kosovo and stability for the region as a whole.
        The key now, as it has been from the beginning of this process, is
    implementation. A verifiable withdrawal of Serb forces will allow us to
    suspend the bombing and go forward with the plan. NATO is determined to
    bring the Kosovars home, to do so as an alliance acting together, and in
    a way that ultimately can strengthen the relationship between Russia and
    the West.
        Our great writer E.L. Doctorow once said, ``The devastating history
    of 20th century Europe, which you and I might study in a book or look at
    as tourists, is housed in the being of Arpad Goncz.'' In World War II he
    fought in resistance and was wounded by Nazi fire. In 1956 he rose with
    fellow citizens against Stalinist oppression. And after Soviet tanks
    crushed the uprising, he was sentenced to life in prison.
        Released after 6 years, he became a translator, bringing Western
    ideals to Hungary, and through his own plays and stories challenged
    Hungarians to think about the nature of tyranny and the meaning of
    freedom. After NATO's resolve and the courage of central Europeans
    helped to bring down the Iron Curtain, the Hungarian people chose this
    great man to lead them.
        Now, Hungary is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe, with
    America its largest foreign investor. Hungary has acted to protect the
    rights of its own minority groups and worked for the rights of ethnic
    Hungarians in other nations. Hungary has stood with the United States as
    a NATO Ally against ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and for a more positive
    future for all the peoples of central and Eastern Europe. Hungary is
    leading the way toward what people dreamed of throughout the long cold
    war.
        I am very proud of the alliance between our countries, the
    friendship between our people. I am grateful for the contributions of
    Hungarian-Americans to the fabric of our present greatness and good
    fortune. And I am very honored to welcome here the President of Hungary.

    [[Page 900]]

        President Goncz, welcome back to America and to the White House.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:45 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House, where President Goncz was accorded a formal welcome with full
    military honors. In his remarks, he referred to Maria Zsuzsanna Gonter,
    wife of President Goncz. The transcript released by the Office of the
    Press Secretary also included the remarks of President Goncz.