[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[November 15, 1999]
[Pages 2089-2090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at a Welcoming Ceremony in Ankara
November 15, 1999

    Thank you very much, Mr. President, 
Mrs. Demirel, distinguished friends. I thank 
you for your reception and for the invitation to come to Turkey. I'm 
delighted to be here in a place I have wanted to visit for a very long 
time, to deepen America's ties with one of our most important partners 
and allies.
    For most of this century, as Turkey and the United States come 
closer together, our relationship has been distinguished by an 
increasing sense of how much, together, we can do to improve the lives 
of our people.
    The recent earthquakes have humbled us, reminding us that for all of 
the advances and our own capacity to shape the future, there is much in 
life that lies utterly beyond our control. No one could have foreseen or 
avoided the terrible tragedy that struck Turkey on August 17th, or the 
earthquake which came again just last week.
    I want to express, on behalf of the American people, again, our 
profound sympathies and condolences to all the people of Turkey for all 
that you have lost. We have been honored to stand with you as you have 
worked so heroically to clear the damaged areas from the first 
earthquake and to return as best as possible to the cadence of normal 
life. And we pledge to work with you as you deal with this natural 
tragedy, as well. The United States is proud to stand with Turkey in 
good times or bad, against cruel natural calamities, terrorism, or other 
threats to freedom and democracy.
    With regard to the earthquake, we have dispatched a search-and-
rescue team to the area and sent tents to house 10,000 people made 
homeless. Our Export-Import Bank has allocated $1 billion in lending 
authority to help Turkish businesses finance projects related to 
reconstruction. We will continue to do all we can to speed your 
recovery, to encourage private investment,

[[Page 2090]]

to help you prepare for future natural disasters. I would also like to 
express my appreciation for the swift response from many other nations, 
including Greece, to the needs of the people of Turkey at this moment.
    Mr. President, over the next 5 days, I 
will have the opportunity to be in your nation on the longest visit ever 
by an American President to Turkey. I want to express my solidarity with 
the Turkish people and America's commitment to Turkey's future. We will 
work for a future in which Turkey continues to be an ally of America, a 
partner in the new Europe, and reconciled with others in the region, 
especially our friends in Greece.
    I thank you for the opportunity today to meet with leaders of 
Turkish democracy in Ankara and the opportunity to speak to the members 
of the Grand National Assembly, and then for the opportunity to go to 
Istanbul to participate with you and 50 other leaders at the OSCE 
Summit. I thank you for the opportunity to go and see some of the 
survivors of the first earthquake, to learn about what we in America 
still can do to help.
    Mr. President, you mentioned that it 
was 10 years ago this month that the Berlin Wall fell. I want to thank 
you again for the partnership we have had for peace and freedom with 
Turkey in the years since, especially in Bosnia and Kosovo.
    I thank you for sharing the lesson we are still learning in times of 
agony as well as joy. We are all in this together. And to me that means, 
in part, we must continue to fulfill a vision of a Europe undivided, 
democratic, in peace for the first time in history, anchored by a stable 
and prosperous Turkey.
    Mr. President, this week I pledge to 
you that I will work with you to fulfill the promise of that unified, 
whole, free Europe. With Europe--a Europe that includes Turkey--and a 
partnership with Turkey and the United States that includes our 
commitment to freedom and opportunity for all people, we have a chance 
to start a new century on higher ground. And the success of our 
partnership will have a lot to do with that.
    Thank you again for welcoming me and for being a genuine friend to 
the United States.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 11:15 a.m. on the Lawn of the 
Official Residence of the President. In his remarks, he referred to 
President Suleyman Demirel of Turkey and his wife, Nazmiye. The 
transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included 
the remarks of President Demirel.