    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 22, 1999]
    [Page 2139]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2139]]

    Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Petar
    Stoyanov of Bulgaria in Sofia
    November 22, 1999

        President Clinton. Good morning.
        Q. How are you, Mr. President?
        President Clinton. I'm fine. I'm delighted to be here, very pleased.

    Situation in Chechnya

        Q. Mr. President, the events in Chechnya in the last 2 days, has
    that raised doubts about the Russian commitment to a political dialog?
        President Clinton. Well, I think they made clear that they were
    going to try to continue their military offensive. What we've done at
    the OSCE is it got them to agree that the internal affairs of Russia or
    any other country is a proper subject of world discussion and world
    opinion. We got them to agree to take the OSCE mission there. I think
    it's very important to do that. And I hope that we've gotten an
    increased amount of concern for civilian casualties. So we'll have to
    see, but I think it's very important we follow up on the commitments
    made earlier at the OSCE meeting in Istanbul.
        Q. Mr. President, Bulgarian national television. Are you going to
    discuss with our President different ways for compensating Bulgaria for
    our losses during the embargo against Yugoslavia and Iraq, about $10
    billion?
        President Clinton. Well, first of all, let me say I'm very grateful
    for the support we received, the Allies received during the conflict in
    Kosovo, and for the direction taken by Bulgaria under this President and
    this Government. And we are committed to supporting Bulgaria over the
    long run, economically, politically, militarily. And I think we will be
    doing it for many years, and I'm looking forward to that.

    Situation in Kosovo

        Q. Mr. President, in Kosovo tomorrow, will you urge ethnic Albanians
    to stop their reprisal attacks against Serbs?
        President Clinton. In Kosovo tomorrow I will make a very strong
    statement about the importance of everybody getting over this ethnic
    hatred and going beyond it. And we have all made a big commitment to
    Kosovo as an economic and political reconstruction. But I think it's
    very important that Kosovo, in effect, not become the mirror image of
    Serbia. It's hard not to, but it's important not to. And we'll keep
    working on it.
        But I wouldn't overreact to the stories, you know, and the facts--a
    lot of good things have happened there since the end of the war. And it
    hasn't been very long, and there is a long, long history in Kosovo and
    throughout Serbia, throughout the Balkans, that we're trying to get
    beyond.
        Again, I'd say Bulgaria is a very good example of the direction we
    ought to take, and I hope we can have a positive impact in Kosovo. I
    think we can.
        President Stoyanov. It's important that we, through the American
    people, through the eyes of the American President, the American people
    will realize that the Bulgarian people have embarked upon a new road and
    chosen a new policy, that of democracy, of respect for human rights and
    that, also, through its wonderful relations with all its neighbors and
    its excellent ethnic--the absence of ethnic problems whatsoever,
    Bulgaria will be an example of stability on this continent and will
    continue to be so.

    NATO Bases in Bulgaria

        Q. Will you inform us if you discuss the issue of NATO bases in this
    country?
        President Stoyanov. We'll inform you about anything with pleasure,
    with the greatest of pleasure.
        President Clinton. Thank you.

    Note: The exchange began at 11 a.m. in the Anteroom at the Presidency. A
    tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.