    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [June 1, 2000]
    [Pages 1062-1063]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Chancellor Gerhard
    Schroeder of Germany in Berlin
    June 1, 2000

        First, let me thank Chancellor Schroeder for making me feel welcome
    again in Germany and Berlin. I am delighted to be here, and I have
    enjoyed this visit. And I'm looking forward our dinner tonight and the
    Conference on Progressive Governance, beginning tomorrow, and of course,
    my trip to Aachen in the morning.
        The Chancellor has faithfully reported on our lengthy conversation.
    We spent virtually all of

    [[Page 1063]]

    our time discussing Russia, the question of missile defense, and the
    really heartrending child custody cases that he mentioned.
        I would like to also, though, publicly thank the Chancellor for the
    leadership of Germany in the cause of European unity and in our efforts
    to bring peace and freedom and human rights to the Balkans, something
    that is very important to the United States.
        Let me say to all of you that the relationship the United States has
    with Germany has been profoundly important for the last 50 years. But I
    think it may well be even more important for the next 50. And I intend
    to do whatever I can in the time I have left as President to make sure
    this relationship is on solid ground for the new century.
        I am particularly grateful that a number of our citizens will be
    participating in Expo 2000 here, in the American Voices program, having
    conversations with the German people directly. And I thank Commissioner
    Rollnick and the others who are
    responsible for that.
        Finally, just one word on a development back in the United States
    today. I was very pleased with the decision of the Eleventh Circuit
    Court of Appeals in the Elian Gonzalez case,
    upholding the decision of the Justice Department that he should be with
    his father. We have tried to honor the principles that the Chancellor
    and I discussed today in the cases involving our two countries in that
    case. I think the Justice Department and the Attorney General did the right thing, and I'm very pleased that the
    eleventh circuit upheld their decision today.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:38 p.m. at the Chancellery. In his
    remarks, he referred to Commissioner Nancy Ellison Rollnick,
    Presidential Scholars Foundation; and Cuban youth Elian Gonzalez,
    rescued off the coast of Florida on November 25, 1999, whose custody
    case was decided by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of
    his Cuban father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez. The transcript released by the
    Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Chancellor
    Schroeder.