    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 22 (Monday, June 5, 2000)]
    [Pages 1261-1262]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following Discussions With Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of
    Germany in Berlin, Germany

    June 1, 2000

        First, let me thank Chancellor Schroeder for making me feel welcome
    again in Germany and Berlin. I am delighted to be here, and I have
    enjoyed this visit. And I'm looking forward our dinner tonight and the
    Conference on Progressive Governance, beginning tomorrow, and of course,
    my trip to Aachen in the morning.
        The Chancellor has faithfully reported on our lengthy conversation.
    We spent virtually all of our time discussing Russia, the question of
    missile defense, and the really heartrending child custody cases that he
    mentioned.
        I would like to also, though, publicly thank the Chancellor for the
    leadership of Germany in the cause of European unity and in our efforts
    to bring peace and freedom and human rights to the Balkans, something
    that is very important to the United States.
        Let me say to all of you that the relationship the United States has
    with Germany has been profoundly important for the last 50 years. But I
    think it may well be even more important for the next 50. And I intend
    to do whatever I can in the time I have left as President to make sure
    this relationship is on solid ground for the new century.
        I am particularly grateful that a number of our citizens will be
    participating in Expo 2000 here, in the American Voices program, having
    conversations with the German people directly. And I thank Commissioner
    Rollnick and the others who are responsible for that.
        Finally, just one word on a development back in the United States
    today. I was very pleased with the decision of the Eleventh Circuit
    Court of Appeals in the Elian Gonzalez case, upholding the decision of
    the Justice Department that he should be with his father. We have tried
    to honor the principles that the Chancellor and I discussed today in the
    cases involving our two countries in that

    [[Page 1262]]

    case. I think the Justice Department and the Attorney General did the
    right thing, and I'm very pleased that the eleventh circuit upheld their
    decision today.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:38 p.m. at the Chancellery. In his
    remarks, he referred to Commissioner Nancy Ellison Rollnick,
    Presidential Scholars Foundation; and Cuban youth Elian Gonzalez,
    rescued off the coast of Florida on November 25, 1999, whose custody
    case was decided by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of
    his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez. The transcript released by the Office
    of the Press Secretary also included the remarks of Chancellor
    Schroeder.