[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 46 (Monday, November 22, 1999)]
[Pages 2377-2378]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at an Arrival 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

[[Page 2378]]

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, 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.