    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [September 28, 1999]
    [Pages 1620-1621]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit of Turkey and an Exchange With Reporters
    September 28, 1999

        The President. Let me say it's a great pleasure and an honor for me
    to welcome the Prime Minister here to the White House. I would like to
    begin by expressing my deep appreciation to Turkey for the outstanding
    leadership exhibited during the crisis in Kosovo and the role Turkey
    played working with our NATO Allies there.
        But we have much to discuss today, including the progress in dealing
    with the aftermath of

    [[Page 1621]]

    the earthquake; the improving relationships between Turkey and Greece
    and the European Union; questions involving Cyprus, human rights,
    economic reform, many other things. But this meeting is occurring in an
    atmosphere of hope and a positive atmosphere that recognizes not only
    our longtime strategic partnership with Turkey but recent developments
    and this Prime Minister's leadership, and I appreciate it very much.

    Oil Pipeline in Turkey

        Q. ----on the pipeline issue. Are you planning to help Turkey about
    that?
        The President. Well, you know, we feel very strongly about the
    pipeline. We've made that very clear and unambiguous, and we will
    continue to support it.
        Q. Are you going to give more aid?
        The President. You had a question?

    Cyprus

        Q. Yes, Mr. President. What would you like to see from Turkey to see
    some progress in Cyprus? Do you need to see some movement from the
    Turkish side?
        The President. Well, what we've been working for all along is the
    resumption of U.N.-sponsored talks without preconditions. And we hope
    that somehow we can find a way to get there.
        Q. How about more aid?

    Turkey and the European Union

        Q. Mr. President, Washington watches very closely Turkey's relations
    with the EU, and from your perspective, what are the major obstacles
    barring Turkey from having better ties and full membership?
        The President. Well, first of all, I believe that there has been
    some progress. There's been the change in attitude in some of the
    European capitals about Turkey's integration into EU. I think that the
    actions that have been taken to improve relations with Greece have
    helped. I think some of the actions on human rights have helped. And I
    think more movement in those directions will eventually get the results
    that Turkey wants.
        You know, the United States--from the first day I got here as
    President, almost 7 years ago, I have strongly supported Turkey's
    integration into Europe, into the economic structures of the European
    Union as well as, obviously, in NATO and other networks. I think it's
    very, very important to the future of the world, particularly the
    critical part of the world that you occupy. But we have to make some
    progress on these other issues, and I think we're moving in the right
    direction.

    Kosovo

        Q. Mr. President, if the Kosovars opt for independence, will that be
    a betrayal of our reason for going in there? And are we supporting
    independence?
        The President. Well, we have supported for Kosovar, and we continue
    to support--for Kosovo, excuse me--autonomy, which is now protected
    autonomy because of the conduct of the Serbs and the government of Mr.
    Milosevic. And that continues to be our
    position. We need to do our best to implement the agreements that we
    have made within the policy framework that both NATO and the United
    Nations have approved, and we intend to do that.
        Press Secretary Joe Lockhart. Thank you
    very much, everyone.
        The President. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:55 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of
    the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). A tape was
    not available for verification of the content of these remarks.