[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 44 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[Page 2221]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters on Arrival in Oslo, Norway

November 1, 1999

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. What is your hope for the peace process?
    The President. Well, first of all, I would like to thank the Prime 
Minister, the Government, and the people of Norway for hosting this 
meeting. I think it's coming at a good time. I believe that Prime 
Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat want to continue the peace process. 
And we are now to the point where the really difficult decisions lie 
ahead. So coming back to Oslo, where the Oslo accords were born, coming 
here to honor the memory of Yitzhak Rabin, who gave his life for this 
peace process, it's a good thing to do.
    And so we're hopeful that we'll make some progress. And we'll see, 
and probably the less we say about it in public, the more likely we are 
to get something done. But I'm hopeful. And I'm honored to be here in 
Norway. This is my first trip, as President, to Norway. I haven't been 
here in 30 years--30 years ago next month was my first trip to Norway.

President's First Visit to Norway

    Q. Do you remember it well?
    The President. Very well, yes. It was wonderful.
    Thank you.

Note: The exchange began at 7 a.m. at Oslo International Airport. In his 
remarks, the President referred to Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik 
of Norway; Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel; and Chairman Yasser 
Arafat of the Palestinian Authority. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of this exchange.