[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[December 18, 2000]
[Pages 2719-2721]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With European Union Leaders
December 18, 2000

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Mr. President, are you making any progress on the Middle East, 
and do you think you may try to make a trip in that direction before you 
leave office?
    President Clinton. Well, let me say, first of all, the parties are 
reengaging, and they've asked us to be involved, and that's good. But 
we're going to be on their timetable, so I can't say for sure. I'm 
willing, as always, to do whatever I can, and I will do whatever I can. 
But the timetable will be up to them.

President's Future Plans

    Q. Mr. President, millions of people at home, in France, and in 
Europe are wondering: What is Bill Clinton going to do after the 20th of 
January? So, outside the library and the Democratic Party's future, are 
you set onto anything international?
    President Clinton. Well, I hope that I will be able to be involved 
in a lot of the things that I have cared greatly about here. I'm very 
interested in the economic empowerment of poor people around the world. 
I'm very interested in efforts that President Chirac and President Prodi and 
we're all making together to try to fight AIDS and deal with public 
health problems around the world.
    But I think it's important that at least that, for a time, that I do 
what I can to help President-elect Bush have 
a good transition and that he have the chance to do his job in a way 
that is uninterrupted by me or anyone else, and I need to find an 
appropriate way to continue my activities.
    And of course, now I have a Senator to support. I have to go out and make a living, so 
I'll do that, too.

European Union-U.S. Relations

[At this point, a question was asked, and President Jacques 
Chirac of France answered in French.]

    President Clinton. Will you translate what he said to the press? 
We've got some Americans

[[Page 2720]]

over there, though. Just roughly summarize what he said.
    Interpreter. I can't because I didn't take any notes. I'm sorry.
    President Clinton. Jacques can tell him 
what he said. [Laughter]
    Interpreter. Well, essentially, President Chirac said that the 
relationship between--first of all, he thanked President Clinton for his 
role in helping at the construction of Europe, and secondly, he also 
mentioned that the relationship between the Europeans--I hope I 
understand you correctly, Mr. Chirac--and the Americans would be, he 
said, brotherly.
    President Chirac. I think that there is 
too much preoccupation at the moment. The relations must change, of 
course, because the world is changing. Europe is large, but we are all 
convinced that there is no future if there is not a strong, strong 
common action between the U.S. and Europe. And NATO is the natural place 
for this. I see only necessity of adaptation, not necessity of change.
    Q. President Chirac, like, I imagine, for a lot of people, you will 
miss President Clinton. I think you had friendly relations with him. How 
do you see the relationship with the new American President?
    President Romano Prodi. Concerning Europe, 
European troubles?
    President Chirac. I want to repeat that I 
think that the action of President Clinton has been extremely positive 
for Europe and also for our transatlantic relations. And for that, I 
want to express the credit to the esteem and the friendship of all 
Europeans for President Clinton.
    And so the path is now open, and I have no doubt that there is a 
will, a determination both in the United States and in Europe, to 
continue to advance, hand in hand, in order so progress can be made, 
both on a human and on a political level in order to continue to 
construct Europe. And I will say that I hope that this will be done in a 
spirit of universal solidarity. And I have no doubt that our relations 
with the new American President will also be excellent.
    President Clinton. Let me say, I basically agree with that. I would 
like to--we've gone through a period here, an 8-year period in the 
aftermath of the cold war in which we dealt with three very large 
questions, and we in the United States, one of them indirectly: How do 
we feel about the European Union, the deepening of the European Union, 
and the expansion of the European Union?
    From the time I started running for President, I strongly supported 
that. I think that's good. I want Europe to be more integrated if the 
Europeans want it, and I want the European Union to be bigger if the 
Europeans want it. I think, on balance, that's a very good thing for 
world peace and prosperity and for the strengthening of freedom.
    Second question: What would we do with NATO? Well, we expanded NATO. 
I expect it to continue to expand. President Chirac has got some countries he wants in NATO, and I agree 
with him. And we had a new relationship with Russia, which I hope will 
be strengthened, and with Ukraine.
    The third big question: What would we do with southeastern Europe, 
with Bosnia and Kosovo, Serbia? And I think while there is a great deal 
of work still to be done in all three places--and we're going to talk 
about that--on balance, the fact that the United States and Europe stood 
for freedom, stood against ethnic cleansing, stood together for an 
entire Europe that is free, was a very great thing and gives a much 
brighter prospect to the 21st century.
    So I believe that the new administration will find that these three 
developments are all positive, and I think that the relationship between 
the U.S. and Europe will be positive. Will there be trade disputes and 
other disputes? Of course there will. But that's natural, and I would 
say that those are high-class problems.
    We're not worried about the survival of freedom here. We're not 
worried about the survival of our democracy. We're not worried about 
whether we share the same values. So I feel very good about this, and I 
think the future will be quite good between the United States and 
Europe.
    Thank you. It's been a great honor. These men have done a great job, 
and I've enjoyed their personal friendship and our partnership, both of 
them. I'm very, very grateful.

President's Future Plans

    Q. Will you meet again?
    President Clinton. I certainly hope so. You know, they might not 
have as much time for me when I'm out of office, but I'll have more 
time. And I love France, and I love Italy, so maybe I can find some 
reason to walk the

[[Page 2721]]

streets and see the people, be of some use in the future.

Note: The exchange began at 12:09 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. The President met with President Chirac, in his capacity as 
President of the European Council, and President Romano Prodi of the 
European Commission. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of this exchange.