[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 30 (Monday, August 2, 1999)]
[Pages 1491-1492]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to the American Embassy Community in Rabat, Morocco

July 25, 1999

    Thank you very much. First, thank you for your warm welcome. To 
those of you who brought the children here today, thank you, especially 
for bringing them. I would like to thank Congressman Gilman and 
Congressman Martin Frost, who is with him from Texas, for joining us. I 
thank Secretary
Christopher and Secretary Baker for dropping everything at a moment's 
notice to make this trip, to manifest their respect for King Hassan and 
the friendship between the United States and Morocco.
    I'd like to say a special word of thanks to President Bush, who came 
here, again, on a moment's notice and had to leave early because he now 
has to go down to Casablanca to take a plane to Belgium to meet another 
appointment. But I'm very grateful to him for making this trip.
    And I'd like to thank all the people from the State Department and 
the National Security Council, represented by Mr. Berger up here, for 
putting this trip together in a hurry. And Ambassador Gabriel, thank you 
and Kathleen and the other members of our Embassy community for making 
us so welcome.
    I'd also like to say that the First Lady would very much like to be 
here to thank you for making her trips to Morocco so successful. And 
Chelsea is here, and Hillary's mother is here, who, as I'm sure you 
know, has been here at least twice, maybe more, since I've been here. I 
think she's thinking of moving to Morocco. [Laughter]
    We are all profoundly grateful for the friendship between Morocco 
and the United States and for the personal kindness and friendship that 
His Majesty, King Hassan, displayed to me, to my family, to many of us 
on this podium, and to President Bush and to so many others over the 
years. So this is an important day for us. And Hillary would be here, 
but she and Chelsea and my mother-in-law have gone to visit with the 
mother and the sisters of the new King, and that is why they are not 
here. But they asked me to give you their best and to thank you.
    Now, let me say, especially to the Moroccans who work for the 
American Embassy here, I know this is a difficult day for many of you. 
King Hassan was the only King most Moroccans ever knew. And I hope it is 
some measure of comfort to the people of this nation that among the 
throngs, the millions of his fellow citizens who came out to honor his 
passing today were leaders from every part of the world, from every 
political and religious background, united in their support for Morocco 
and their respect for the life that he lived.
    King Hassan knew every American President since John Kennedy. He, 
himself, endured great turbulence and personal risk. The thing that 
always impressed me about him is he was never embittered by the dangers 
that he faced and, over time, he grew in wisdom, stature, and standing 
in the world; and as he grew, so did Morocco. I'm told he was known as 
the great survivor and, of course, we all know those survivor stories. 
We had another laugh about them on the plane over and shook our head in 
amazement.
    But I think that, in effect, to call King Hassan a survivor is not 
to do justice to him. Because when we think of a survivor, we think 
about someone who is very clever, all

[[Page 1492]]

right, but just--just enough to escape the slings and arrows that 
fortune places in our path, just enough to survive. And His Majesty King 
Hassan did more than that. I think of him instead as a pathfinder, a 
leader who survived, yes, but who survived to expand the possibilities 
of the Moroccan people and all the people of this region.
    He showed it is possible to be commander of the faithful and a 
champion of tolerance and a bridge between faiths. He showed it is 
possible to represent continuity and stability and to build the society 
that is more and more democratic and open--open to competing ideas and 
other people. He showed it is possible to promote Islam's holy sites in 
Jerusalem and to reach out to Israel and the dream of peace, dignity, 
and security for all God's children in this region. He was a leader of 
the Arab world and a friend of America.
    With our modern world still so bedeviled by ancient animosities of 
race and religion, King Hassan believed that there is no inevitable 
clash of civilizations but, instead, a clash between those brave enough 
to seek a future of peace, prosperity, and harmony and those who fear 
it. He was brave enough to seek that kind of world. He belonged to a 
generation of brave leaders--King Hussein of Jordan, Yitzhak Rabin of 
Israel, Sheik Isa of Bahrain--a generation that brought this region to 
the turning point we now face. The opportunity for lasting peace is now 
at hand.
    I met with your new King this afternoon. I spoke with him also 
shortly after I learned that his father had passed away. I have 
confidence in him. We spoke about the challenges ahead. We spoke about 
my family's gratitude for all the trips that they have taken to Morocco 
and the kindness that His Majesty extended to them. King Hassan made her 
feel not only at home but a part of his family. And I told King Mohammed 
that now we would be proud to have him feel a part of our family.
    The people of Morocco should know they are in the thoughts and 
prayers of the American people today, and that our partnership can only 
grow stronger. You know, sometimes we come together to mourn the death 
of a friend and we are heavy with sorrow because we think about what 
might have been. Today we pay tribute to the long life of a wise King 
and a good man. And we think about what still might be because of the 
life he lived. We are grateful for that life, and we pray for the future 
that he worked for. We pray for the future partnership and peace of the 
peoples of this region. And we hope our prayers will be answered, for we 
remember the words of the prophet that rewards for prayers by people 
assembled are twice those said at home.
    Thank you for assembling for our country every day. God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 7:05 p.m. in the Hilton Hotel. In his 
remarks, he referred to former Secretaries of State Warren M. 
Christopher and James A. Baker III; former President George Bush; 
Ambassador Edward M. 
Gabriel and his wife, Kathleen; and the First Lady's mother, Dorothy 
Rodham. A tape was not available for verification of the content of 
these remarks.