[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 22 (Monday, June 5, 2000)]
[Pages 1249-1257]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
The President's News Conference With European Union Leaders in Lisbon
May 31, 2000
Prime Minister Antonio Guterres. Ladies and gentlemen, good
afternoon. A few words in English before making my statement in
Portuguese.
First of all, let me say that this was not a business-as-usual
summit. It was a strategic summit: Strategic in the way we discussed the
diplomatic and security problems of our hemisphere, the new common
security and defense policy of the European Union, its
[[Page 1250]]
relationship with NATO, our relations with Russia and the Ukraine, our
commitment to the protection of the values of all civilization in the
Balkans; strategic in our approach, bringing confidence to multilateral
way of dealing with trade issues, our commitment to relaunch this year
the new round of World Trade Organization, and to solve in a case-by-
case situation our disputes based on the WTO rules; but especially
strategic because we concentrated on the new global problems that
represent today the main threats to our planet--infectious diseases like
tuberculosis, malaria, or AIDS, the digital divide, the difficulties to
make the new economy a truly inclusive economy; and strategic because we
decided to work together, the United States and European Union, to
promote a global effort to match this challenge and to win this
challenge, aiming at the next G-8 organization summit and working
together in all relevant international fora.
Ladies and gentlemen, this has indeed been a meeting in which
questions of global strategy have been a major element. Firstly, on this
level of diplomacy and security, I think that we have fully understood
the importance of our common European security and defense policy and
the interrelations between this policy and the instruments within it and
NATO and in perfect accord with the relations between these two
organizations.
We also discussed in a very consensual manner the efforts that the
United States and the European Union are going to be making in their
relations with Russia and the Ukraine, considering this an essential
triangle for the stability of our continent.
And we were able to reiterate our firm commitment to what we are
doing in the western Balkans and our conviction that what we are
concerned with here are essential values of civilization--in Bosnia and
Kosovo, as to the possibility there of establishing a real multiethnic
community in this territory, and a commitment to transform Yugoslavia
into a truly democratic country, commitment to guaranteeing or to trying
to guarantee stability in such complicated areas as Montenegro, and to
offer support to all the countries in the region in their development to
offer a long-term prospect which is truly European for the whole Balkan
region.
In our discussion, we attached great importance to the
transformation of the new economy, the knowledge-based economy, not
simply to be a privilege for the richest countries and for people and
organizations with the greatest power in society but also, particularly
in the United States and Europe, for all our citizens, for all our
businesses, for all our organizations, and at the same time to establish
a very strong interlinkage in our efforts with the objective of
promoting a broadband link between our education information services on
either side of the Atlantic.
We want to develop our common efforts to combat separation between
rich and poor countries in this area, since we believe that this new
economy is a basic and fundamental opportunity for the poorer countries
to be able to press forward, to leap forward, and come closer to the
living conditions of the more developed world.
But we can't talk about this without recognizing the drama which
exists today in the world, given the series of infectious diseases
leading to suffering and death for so many, such as AIDS, tuberculosis,
and malaria. And we need to work together, seriously cooperating to
promote global action to combat effectively these diseases and to
develop in the next meeting of the G-8 an approach on this subject and
to involve the whole international community and all international
organizations, with the support of the European Union and the United
States of America, in being catalysts in our efforts in this area. Given
the global responsibilities we have, we must also meet these challenges
of our times.
We also discussed many other questions--foreign policy, for
instance--and of course, one point that the Portuguese Government cannot
fail to mention: We talked about the transition of East Timor to
democracy and independence.
President Clinton.
President Clinton. Thank you very much. First, I would like to thank
Prime Minister Guterres for his outstanding leadership in his tenure as
EU President. I thank President Prodi, Commissioner Patten, High
Representative Solana, for their strong leadership and the work they
have done for transatlantic cooperation, and especially in Kosovo and in
the Balkans in these last few months.
[[Page 1251]]
I would like to just take one minute to put this meeting into some
historical perspective. We've come quite a long way since Portugal's
first EU Presidency 8 years ago. At that time, many were predicting that
Europe's new democracies would falter, that Russia would turn inward and
reactionary, that NATO had lost its reason for being, that Europe's
project for a common currency and foreign policy would founder, and that
the United States and Europe would go their own separate ways.
Eight years later Europe's new democracies are joining the
transatlantic mainstream. Russia, for all its problems, has completed
the first democratic power transfer in its entire history. We have
preserved and strengthened NATO. The EU has brought monetary union into
being and made a fast start at a common foreign and security policy, a
development the United States strongly supports. And far from moving
apart, the United States and Europe today complete the 14th U.S.-EU
Summit of my Presidency. So I thank all of those who have supported
those developments.
Today we talked a lot about security in Kosovo, the Balkans,
southeastern Europe. We talked about the European Security Defense
Initiative, which the United States strongly supports, in cooperation
with NATO. And we talked about a number of other issues, including
Russia, at some length. We discussed the need to support democracy and
economic reform in Russia and the continued need for a political
solution in Chechnya.
I'd also like to thank the European Union for something else, which
is on my mind today because of the work I've been doing in the Middle
East. I welcome the efforts that the EU has led to give Israel an
invitation to join the Western Europe and others group in the United
Nations. This is a very good development, and I think it will contribute
to the negotiating atmosphere that is so important at this difficult and
pivotal time in the Middle East.
Just two other issues briefly. We did talk, as Prime Minister
Guterres said, a lot about the new economy, about how to maximize its
spread within our countries and how to bridge the digital divide both
within and beyond our borders, and we talked about the importance of
dealing with other common challenges. I'll just mention two. I talked at
some length about the climate change/global warming challenge, and we
have made a joint commitment to do more to try to help developing
nations deal with AIDS, malaria, and TB. And I am very grateful for the
leadership and the energy of the EU in that regard.
So, in closing, I think it's been a good meeting. I think it
demonstrated the vitality and importance of our partnership. I'd like to
thank the business leaders who are here, who also have been meeting, and
the environmental leaders and just say the from my point of view, all
these exchanges have been very much worth the effort and are leading us
into a better future.
Thank you.
Prime Minister Guterres. Senor Prodi.
President Romano Prodi. Well, I am most pleased to be here today
with Antonio to discuss with our common friend, the President of the
United States, the relationship between the European Union and the
United States.
But before anything, I want to pay tribute to the support of
President Clinton to the European Union. You always supported European
Union, without any doubt. And this is the reason why our transatlantic
ties are so good now and so strong. And I think that--you will go to
Aachen to receive the Charlemagne Prize--I think you deserve it because
this is the prize that is given to the Europeans.
Your predecessor, President Kennedy, was a Berliner. You now, you
are not a Berliner, but a European, I'd say, because I think that you
belong to our family, really. The United States helped Europe, even at
the most difficult point, even when Europe was becoming more and more
powerful, like making up a euro in the last building of our new Europe.
Now we are 375 million people; we shall arrive to 500 million people
with enlargement. And we discussed enlargement this morning, and we
discussed how enlargement can be performed quickly, well, in a peaceful
way, not harming anybody, and being accepted also by Russia. This almost
was a photo op of the meeting that I had with the Russian President
Putin just the day before yesterday,
[[Page 1252]]
discussing how enlargement would be done and the aim, the goals of
enlargement.
Concerning the point you didn't touch in our relation, we discussed
frankly about trade. And of course, conflicts between the two biggest
trade powers in the world are always possible. We are the largest trade
in the world, and we represent more than 40 percent of world trade.
We are committed, and we decided to be committed today to a more
territorial trade system, and all trade disputes will be settled case by
case under WTO rules. This was clear. There was a clear commitment. And
we decided also that megaphone diplomacy will be replaced by telephone
diplomacy. It is more constructive, even less sexy. [Laughter]
I am pleased that we have already two results of this cooperation.
After 3 years of discussion, we are finally able to come today with a
solution to settle our difference on that of protection, which is a very
delicate issue. And then we developed jointly the safe harbor concept.
And so we shall have, together, high data protection standards and free
information flows.
This deal has been approved today by our member states and so will
not be reviewed by the European Parliament. It's done. WTO accession of
China will take place very soon, I hope--we hope. We are working for
that, and we are, the two teams, the American, U.S. team and the
European Union teams, are really working together for that.
And we launch today the biotechnology consultative forum to foster
public debate and create more common understanding. I remember that this
forum, which I proposed in October last year at my first meeting with
you, Bill, is made of outstanding and independent individuals from
outside the government. It's a very independent body. And I do expect
that this forum will meet in July.
And so we agreed also to go together to the G-8 with a strong agenda
on the tragic problem of sickness in the world. We shall elaborate this
strategy for tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS fighting over all the
world. This is the agreement that we have today in a very good
friendship environment.
And also, I want to add as the last reflection that--you talked
about the Balkans--we know that together with the action, with the
Stability Pact, with the progress that you are doing day by day, we must
find a long-term solution in the idea of European Union spirit, in the
European Union environment in order to give a long-lasting solution to
the Balkan problems.
Thank you.
U.S. Missile Defense System
Q. Prime Minister Guterres and President Prodi, in a few months
President Clinton will make a decision about a national missile defense
system for the United States. For an American audience, can you explain
any European concerns about deploying such a system, and whether, in
your just-completed trip to Moscow, President Putin expressed any
flexibility about amending the ABM to allow such a system?
And President Clinton, in the system that you envision, would that
allow for the missile protection system to protect Europe and our NATO
Allies, as Governor Bush has suggested?
Thank you.
Prime Minister Guterres. Well, President Clinton was kind enough to
inform us about what he thinks about the matter. I think he'll express
that better than myself. I'd like to say that this is a matter in which
the European Union has not an official position, but we have--I'll say
all of us--a main concern. We live in the Northern Hemisphere where from
bearing to bearing we want to have a strong security situation. We
believe we have built a lot on the process to create that. And we
believe that every new move to strengthen these must be as comprehensive
as possible, as agreed by everybody as possible, and as corresponding as
possible to everyone's concerns and to everyone's preoccupations in this
matter.
President Prodi. Well, I have to add also that President Clinton--
there was no yet precise proposal done. But we discussed it on the
general principle that there was no decoupling, that there is no
division between the two sides of the Atlantic. We are still, and we are
more and more joined together in our defense purpose, not only in our
economic purposes. And so the spirit in which
[[Page 1253]]
we judge the program--we didn't go into the details--was a constructive
and friendly talk.
Q. And the Russian President?
President Prodi. No, the Russian President didn't touch the problem
2 days ago. The program was not on the agenda, and we didn't make any
head to that.
President Clinton. First, let me just very briefly reiterate the
criteria that I have set out for making a decision. First of all, is
there a threat which is new and different? The answer to that, it seems
to me, is plainly, yes. There is, and there will be one. That is the
danger that states that are not part of the international arms control
and nonproliferation regime would acquire nuclear weapons and the
missiles to deliver them and that they might make them available to
rogue elements, not part of nation states but allied with them.
Secondly, is the technology available to meet the threat? Thirdly, what
does it cost? Fourthly, what is the impact of deploying a different
system on our overall security interests, included but not limited to
arms control? So that is the context in which this decision must be made
and why I have worked so hard to try to preserve the international
framework of arms agreements.
Now, I have always said that I thought that if the United States had
such technology, and if the purpose of the technology is to provide
protection against irresponsible new nuclear powers and their possible
alliances with terrorists and other groups, then every country that is
part of a responsible international arms control and nonproliferation
regime should have the benefit of this protection. That's always been my
position.
So I think that we've done a lot of information sharing already with
the Russians. We have offered to do more, and we would continue to. I
don't think that we could ever advance the notion that we have this
technology designed to protect us against a new threat, a threat which
was also a threat to other civilized nations who might or might not be
nuclear powers, but were completely in harness with us on a
nonproliferation regime, and not make it available to them. I think it
would be unethical not to do so. That's always been my position, and I
think that is the position of everyone in this administration.
NATO Enlargement
Q. Mr. President, for Portuguese Public Television, my name is
Carlos Pena. In the middle of this month, in Lithuania, nine countries
met, and they expressed their will to be part of NATO, and they want to
work together. Did you address the question of further NATO enlargement
and how you all see this kind of new ``big bang''?
President Clinton. Well, the short answer to your question is, we
didn't talk about further NATO enlargement. But we have worked hard to
try to make NATO relevant to the 21st century. We've taken in new
members. We have had partnerships with dozens of new democracies,
stretching all the way to central Asia. We have specific agreements with
Ukraine and Russia. And I think we will have to continue to modernize
the structure of NATO as we go along.
And I think more and more, the countries against whom NATO was once
organized--that is, Russia and other members of part of the former
Soviet bloc--will see NATO as a partner, not a former adversary, and you
will see further integration and further cooperation. That's what I
believe will happen.
European Union
Q. Yes, I'll start with Mr. President. Now that you are formally a
European, considering Mr. Prodi has given you the qualification, I just
wanted to ask you how do you feel about the position that's been
expressed by some members of your administration that there is really
not an adequate counterpart when they have to deal, for example, on
economic and financial matters? That there is a Europe, but there are no
ministers. Every 6 months you meet a different President of the European
Union. Do you feel that it would be better for Europe as a whole to move
further ahead into further integration, expressing better and with more
determination their position?
And the same question is for Mr. Prodi and for Mr. Guterres. Mr.
Prodi, I know you've been attacked and some people have been saying that
Europe is really moving back into some kind of national environment, a
national policy. Isn't that a negative development?
Thank you.
[[Page 1254]]
President Clinton. Well, first, I think it's entirely a question for
Europeans to determine, how they should organize themselves and at what
pace this integration should proceed. But if you look at the roles now
occupied, for example, by Mr. Solana and Mr. Patten, if you look at the
work that the EU has done to get our common endeavors energized in
Kosovo, for example, just in the last few months, I think you have to
say that the European Union is growing stronger, not weaker, and that
it's growing more effective.
How you should proceed from here depends upon, I think, both the
attitudes of the leaders as well as popular opinion and will be
determined in no small measure by what the specific circumstances are
confronting Europe in the next 4, 5 to 10 years.
But as an outsider, let me just say, I think that whenever something
is in the process of being born, being formed, maturing, and you want to
understand it and then explain it to other people, which is what your
job is--since you're in the media, you have to first understand it and
explain it to other people--there is always the tendency to see in any
specific event evidence of a pattern which shows either that there's
backsliding or accelerating, going forward. I think you have to resist
that a little bit now because, really, history has no predicate for the
European Union. Even the formation of the United States out of the
various States is not the same thing. And we had quite a period of time
before we had a National Government, when we were sort of a nation and
we sort of weren't, when we were sort of together and we sort of
weren't, in a much simpler time, when the States had nothing like the
history all the nations of Europe have.
So I think that we all have to have a little humility here and let
this thing sort of unfold as history, popular opinion, and the vision of
the leaders dictate. But I take it, from my point of view as an
American, I think that so far all the developments on balance are very
positive. I believe we want a strong and united Europe that is
democratic and secure and a partner with us for dealing with the world's
challenges of the future. So I think it's going in the right direction,
and I think it's a very good thing.
President Prodi. Well, on my side, the answer is very simple. You
know that the rotation of power is as ancient as ancient Rome, you know,
and Rome became Rome and it began with the rotation of 6 months, as we
are doing now. [Laughter] But I can also add there is a rotation of the
President's Council, but there is no rotation of the President of the
Commission. And so there is some stability in this, on this power.
But I will tell you something more, just a hint, joining what Bill
Clinton told now--look, let's stay on the path. Let's stick on the
facts. The enlargement, resting on the facts, never happened in history
to put together 11 currencies, you know. Let's stick on the facts--never
happen in history to enlarge this democratic process as we are doing
now.
I'm touring every day in the new applying countries. And to see 12
parliaments working day and night to apply the new legislation, to
conform to the European legislation, is something that it makes
different with history. This is what is happening now. And so I am not
only confident that Europe is strong, but Europe will be the real new
event of the democracy of the 21st century.
Prime Minister Guterres. If I may add something. I think we have
achieved a lot, but we are not satisfied. We are going on. We have an
intergovernmental conference taking place now to improve our efficiency
in decisionmaking, our democracy, our transparency, and to make sure
we'll be able to cope with enlargement and, at the same time, to deepen
our integration.
And if one looks back at the recent Lisbon extraordinary summit, I
have to recognize that I, myself, was not expecting the European Union
to be able to take so many policy decisions in so many relevant matters
in such a quick frame of time, which proves that when we want--when we
have the political will to do that, we really can have good decisions,
quick decisions, and can find the right path.
So I'm very optimistic about the future of Europe, and I think my
optimism is shared by all those that want to join the European Union at
this moment.
[[Page 1255]]
Middle East Peace Process
Q. Mr. President, it's been a very busy couple of weeks in the
Middle East, as you know. I'm wondering whether what's happened there
recently has created any new opportunities for the peace process, what
dangers it might have raised, and whether anything that's happened there
has given you new hope that the September 13th deadline for a
Palestinian-Israeli agreement will be reached?
President Clinton. Well, I think the decision of Prime Minister
Barak to withdraw the Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, in
accordance with the United Nations resolution, was, first of all, a
daring one which creates both new challenges and new opportunities. It
changed the landscape. And from my point of view, it imposes on--it
should impose, at least, on all parties a greater sense of urgency,
because things are up in the air again. So there is an opportunity, to
use a much overworked phrase, to create a new order, to fashion a new
peaceful order out of the principles of the Oslo accord and all that's
been done in the year since.
But from my point of view, it also imposes a much greater sense of
urgency. I think the consequences of inaction are now likely to be more
difficult because of this move. And so--for example, you have now--just
for example, you talked about the Palestinians. I think this will
heighten the anxieties of the Palestinians in Lebanon. Does this mean
that there is going to be a peace and, therefore, they will be able to
have a better life, either going home or going to some third country,
going to Europe, going to the United States? Or does this mean that this
is it, and there is sort of a new freezing of the situation? So there is
anxiety in that community. You see that in every little aspect of this.
I think on balance it's good, because I believe they are going to
reach an agreement. But it both turns the tension up in all camps and
increases the overall price of not reaching an agreement fairly soon and
the overall reward of reaching an agreement fairly soon. It changes
everything in a way that both increases the pluses and increases the
potential minuses. That's my analysis.
Q. President Clinton, sir, can you confirm if it's true that
tomorrow you will meet in Lisbon with Prime Minister from Israel, Ehud
Barak?
President Clinton. Yes. I will, and I'm going to talk to Mr. Arafat
before that, sometime today.
Yes.
Indonesia
Q. Mr. President, I'm from Indonesia. Since in the senior level
group it was mentioned the coordinated support for the President, Wahid,
and Indonesian Government, how do you feel the political and economic
development in Indonesia?
Thank you.
President Clinton. Well, first, I think it's worth pointing out that
it's the largest Muslim country in the world, one of the handful of
nations which will determine much of the shape of the 21st century the
next 30 or 40 years by whether it does well or does poorly. So I think
that everything that has been done to try to stabilize the country
politically and get back to economic growth is a plus.
And I suppose, like any outsider, my only wish is that more could be
done more quickly, because so many people within Indonesia's lives are
at stake, and the rest of us, we really need you to succeed.
Prime Minister Guterres. If I may say something that might sound
surprising to you--probably before this press conference ends, our
Minister of Foreign Affairs will fly to Jakarta. And under the
Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, it will be held, the first
political dialog between Indonesia and the European Union. And that also
shows the attachment we have in the European Union for democracy, peace,
and stability in Indonesia.
Russia
Q. The New York Times. Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President, could you
share with us your impressions of President Putin and the extent to
which you see any prospects for some flexibility on a political solution
in Chechnya? And President Clinton, could you kindly expand a bit on
your discussions today about Russia? And on the eve of your trip to
Russia, do you foresee any progress on any bilateral issue, including
arms control, Chechnya, corruption?
[[Page 1256]]
Prime Minister Guterres. Well, in our last meeting in Moscow, I must
say that I was quite impressed by President Putin's determination in
creating in Russia a democratic state based on the market economy and
rule of law. It was also clear, from our point of view, that even if our
views about Chechnya are different, he said--and he said publicly--that
he was committed to a political solution. And he also announced his firm
support to the inquiries to be made by an independent committee, his
will to see the OSC back, and to give better support to international
organizations involved in humanitarian help. And he even stressed in the
press conference that there would be people prosecuted for violations of
human rights in Chechnya.
So even if this does not correspond entirely to what we think, it
really shows a move and a step which I believe is in a positive
direction.
President Prodi. I confirm that there was a precise engagement on
concrete decision to make inspections and transparency more visible in
Chechnya for the immediate weeks, for the time that is in front of us.
Last question.
President Clinton. Wait, she asked me a question. Let me just say
this, to start with a negative and end with a positive, I would be
surprised if we bridge all of our differences on Chechnya, and I would
be surprised if we resolved all of our differences on the question of
missile defense, although we might make more headway than most people
expect. I'm just not sure yet.
However, I do expect that there will be two or three other areas
where we will have truly meaningful announcements that I think will make
a real difference--one of them, in particular, we're working on it. If
we get it done, it will be very, very important.
So I think the trip is well worth it, and even in the areas where we
may not have an agreement, in some ways that may be the most important
reason for the trip of all. We shouldn't only do these trips and these
dialogs when we know we've got a guaranteed outcome. Sometimes it's most
important to be talking when there's still unresolved differences.
Upcoming Meeting With Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel
Q. Mr. President, can you please explain the timing and reasoning
behind your visit tomorrow with Barak and tell us what you hope to
accomplish?
President Clinton. Yes. They have--first of all, all the balls are
up in the air as I just explained, and so there is both greater
potential for something happening and also greater tension in the
atmosphere, which is causing a ripple effect in the relationship between
the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Secondly, Mr. Barak and Mr. Arafat have set for themselves an
earlier timetable, as you know, to reach a framework agreement--not a
final agreement; that's supposed to be done in September--but an earlier
one. And there are lots of things that need to be gone through that we
need to go through if we're even going to reach the framework agreement,
because a lot of the toughest things have to be--they'll have to come to
grips with those just to reach the framework agreement.
So I have been looking for an opportunity to meet with Prime
Minister Barak. As you know, he was supposed to come to the United
States a few days ago, and because of developments in the region, he
could not come. Then he was going to come to Germany and participate in
an event to which he was invited anyway, and we were going to talk, and
then he couldn't do that because of a holiday in Israel. So this was the
only shot we had to do it and still have enough time to meet the
deadline that both he and Mr. Arafat are trying to meet.
There's no--you shouldn't overread this. It's not like there's some
bombshell out there. But we just really needed to have a face-to-face
meeting, and we needed to do it in this time frame. He couldn't come
last week to the United States. Then he couldn't come to Berlin to the
meeting to which he was also invited. So we're doing the best we can
with a difficult situation.
Prime Minister Guterres. Ladies and gentlemen, I must confess I have
enjoyed sometime ago very much a picture called ``NeverEnding Story,''
but I don't think we can repeat that picture and transform this press
conference in a new version. So, thank you very much, all of you.
[[Page 1257]]
Note: The President's 190th news conference began at 2:49 p.m. at the
Palacio Nacional de Queluz. The President met with Prime Minister
Antonio Guterres of Portugal in his capacity as President of the
European Council and President Romano Prodi of the European Commission.
A portion of Prime Minister Guterres' remarks were in Portuguese and
were translated by an interpreter. In the news conference, the following
people were referred to: Commissioner Christopher Patten of the European
Commission; High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security
Policy Javier Solana of the European Council; President Vladimir Putin
of Russia; Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority; Minister
of Foreign Affairs Jaime Gama of Portugal; and President Abdurrahman
Wahid of Indonesia.