[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
[June 21, 1999]
[Pages 989-990]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Dinner Hosted by President Milan Kucan of Slovenia in Ljubljana
June 21, 1999

    Mr. President, Mrs. Kucan, Mr. Prime 
Minister, distinguished government officials, 
and citizens of Slovenia: It is a great honor for me, for 
Hillary, for Secretary 
Albright, indeed, for our entire 
American delegation to share this historic day with you.
    Today we added a new chapter to the long story of our friendship. As 
you heard from the President, it is a friendship that goes back even 
before the history of the United States, when President Thomas 
Jefferson, the author of our Declaration of Independence, was looking 
for examples of democracy around the world, places where the people 
ruled.
    The President gave you a--what I would call a delicate version of 
the example provided by the Corinthians to Thomas Jefferson. You see, 
Thomas Jefferson loved the fact that before assuming their titles, the 
old dukes of Corinthia were ceremoniously slapped by a local present to 
symbolize the right of the people to rebuff their leaders. Thomas 
Jefferson liked that. So did all future generations of Americans. 
[Laughter] Except they wait until after you're in office to do it. 
[Laughter]
    Well, democracy is going strong again in Slovenia, and still your 
efforts inspire Americans. We are grateful for the many contributions of 
Slovenians to the strength and texture of our country, and we are 
grateful for the partnership that unites us today.
    This spring, as both the President and the Prime Minister have said, 
that partnership met a great test. For the fourth time in this decade, 
Mr. Milosevic and Serbia launched a 
brutal campaign of violence, threatening the progress the people of this 
region have worked so hard to achieve. As you know from the daily 
television

[[Page 990]]

reports, the full horror of that campaign is only now becoming clear.
    I would like to thank the President and the Prime Minister for all that you have done to protect democracy and the 
tolerance it needs to thrive. Now that ethnic cleansing has been 
defeated in Kosovo, we must build something better in its place 
throughout Europe, and especially in southeastern Europe.
    You know, every leader likes to talk of the future, but today in 
your Congress Square I saw the future in the faces of the young people 
who braved the rains to express their support for our shared dreams. I 
saw those who will lead a free Slovenia into the new millennium.
    Your history is enshrined in this magnificent castle we enjoy this 
evening, but your future is in those young people. And it is in good 
hands.
    So I ask you now to rededicate yourselves to the dreams which 
brought the people out in the rain today. We owe it to them, to our 
forebears, and to generations yet unborn.
    Please join me in a toast to the President, to the Prime 
Minister, and the people of this wonderful 
country.

Note: The President spoke at 9:40 p.m. in the Dining Hall at Brdo 
Castle. In his remarks, he referred to Stefka Kucan, wife of President 
Kucan; and Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek of Slovenia. A tape was not 
available for verification of the content of these remarks.