    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 22, 1999]
    [Page 2140]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2140]]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Ivan Kostov of Bulgaria and an Exchange With Reporters in Sofia
    November 22, 1999

        Prime Minister Kostov.  I have just asked the President to say a few
    words before he goes out of the Council of Ministers. He was kind to
    respond, and I thank him for that.
        President Clinton. Well, first, I want to say again how pleased and
    honored I am to be in Bulgaria and how strongly I support and admire the
    political, economic, and military reforms that the Government has
    undertaken and how grateful I am for the support that Europe and the
    United States received during the recent difficulties in Kosovo.
        I think it is very important for the United States to support
    Bulgaria's aspirations for political, economic, and military integration
    into the West and to support the Stability Pact and the economic and
    political revitalization of all of southeastern Europe.
        I would like to make one other point, which is that I am especially
    grateful for Bulgaria's policy and history of tolerance and cooperation
    among different groups of people within this country. If that had been
    the policy of Serbia in these last 10 years, we would be living in a
    very different and better time.
        Thank you very much. Thank you.
        Q. [Inaudible]
        President Clinton. No, that did not come up. But we talked generally
    about the importance of doing things that would be economically
    beneficial to Bulgaria. I would remind you, my Secretary of Commerce,
    Mr. Daley, was here just a few weeks ago
    for an economic conference. And we are moving ahead with a whole set of
    plans, which I hope will be highly beneficial to Bulgaria economically.
    But we did not discuss the specific question you asked.
        Thank you.

    Note: The exchange began at 12:50 p.m. at the Council of Ministers
    Building. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    this exchange.