[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 46 (Monday, November 22, 1999)]
[Page 2388]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Receiving the Order of the State of the Turkish Republic 
Award in Ankara

November 15, 1999

    First of all, let me thank you for this beautiful Order of State 
award. You know, in my country, they give you these awards normally when 
you're one step away from death. [Laughter] It's quite a wonderful thing 
to receive one when at least you still feel quite normal. [Laughter] And 
particularly, an award that symbolizes our shared values and the long 
friendship between our two countries, one that goes back in many ways to 
the beginning of our country and, clearly, for the last 50 years, back 
to the beginning of the Truman Doctrine and the commitment of the United 
States to the security and integrity of Turkey.
    In these last 50 years, we have been partners from Korea to Kosovo, 
against aggression and oppression, and as we look ahead to the future, 
we will have many opportunities for richer and deeper partnerships.
    I would just briefly observe that it is an irony of history that we 
are on the edge of a new millennium--which will be shaped by 
unbelievable advances in technology, an explosion in information, and 
great leaps forward in science--but the biggest problem the world has is 
that everywhere people are too much in the grip of the oldest difficulty 
of human societies: We still are prone to fear people who are different 
than ourselves.
    And so, all across the world, we see ethnic, racial, religious 
conflicts. We see people remembering old reasons for geopolitical 
difficulties, when new opportunities for cooperation are staring them 
right in the face. And it is for those of us who are moving into this 
new millennium to leave our children a more unified vision of human 
society and of human cooperation across national lines, one that gives 
all children, without regard to their station or birth, a chance to live 
up to their dreams--boys and girls alike; Muslims, Jews, Christians 
alike; people who come from any part of the world.
    I hope that we can be faithful, Turkey and the United States, to the 
ideals and dreams of our founders and, together, leave that legacy of a 
unifying vision of human life.
    Thank you very much.

Note: The President spoke at approximately 7:50 p.m. in the Reception 
Hall at the Presidential Palace. The transcript released by the Office 
of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of President Suleyman 
Demirel of Turkey.