    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 16, 1999]
    [Pages 2100-2101]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to Earthquake Survivors in Izmit, Turkey
    November 16, 1999

        Thank you for making us feel so welcome. I want to especially thank
    the Governor, the mayor,
    the Deputy Governors who went on tour. I want to thank the Yoldas family
    and the other families who took us into their tents and gave us a
    feeling for what your lives are like here. I want to thank the teachers
    and the students who took us into the schools. I want to thank the
    children who sang us songs and gave us their posters and gave us their
    little work of clay. I want to thank all of you who have worked hard to
    clear away the remaining damage done by the earthquake and to begin the
    process of rebuilding.
        I know this is a time of great uncertainty for you, especially since
    another earthquake just hit not too far from here. I want you to know
    that most of the tents that you are staying in here came from the United
    States, and we have sent 500 more winterized tents to that province to
    help the people who have been made homeless by the earthquake there. We
    are also working hard to help the reconstruction process and help
    Turkey's businesses get back in business. We want everyone to be able to
    go back to work as soon as possible.
        The one thing I would like to say today--I know I speak for my
    wife and my daughter--is that we were very, very moved by having family
    contact with other families. And we could imagine what our lives would
    be like if such a thing were to happen to us, as we have seen it happen
    to families in the United States.
        We were so impressed that a total of 87 other countries came forward
    to help the people of Turkey who were hurt in the earthquake. And we
    were very grateful that one of the countries that came forward to help
    was your neighbor Greece. And then, when the Greeks had their

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    earthquake, the Turkish people came forward to help them.
        I hope the ordinary people in Greece and Turkey who have suffered
    from these terrible natural disasters can send a clear message to the
    leaders that the people of this region can get along, and they should
    get along, and when they do get along, our children's lives and futures
    are better.
        Now, in the meanwhile, I want you to know that we in the United
    States will do everything we can to help you until your lives return to
    normal. And we will help those people in the area hit by the most recent
    earthquake. We will stay with you and work with you. And I just want to
    urge you to keep your spirits up, keep the smiles on your children's
    faces, keep helping the people who lost their loved ones in the
    earthquake, and know that together we will get through this to better
    days.
        Thank you very, very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. at the Dogukisla tent city. In
    his remarks, he referred to Gov. Kemal Onal of Izmit Province; and Mayor
    Sefa Sirmen of Izmit.