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[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page i-ii]
Monday, April 2, 2001
Volume 37--Number 13
Pages 509-558
Contents
[[Page i]]
Weekly Compilation of
Presidential
Documents
[[Page ii]]
Addresses and Remarks
See also Meetings With Foreign Leaders
African-American leaders--548
Baseball Hall of Fame, members--553
Congressional leaders, meeting--530
Friends of Ireland luncheon, prepared remarks--509
Greek Independence Day--510
Michigan, Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo--524
Missouri, employees of Bajan Industries in Kansas City--513
Montana
Community in Billings--519
Tractor Supply Company in Billings--518
Radio address--512
Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner--552
Space Shuttle Atlantis, meeting with crewmembers--530
Technology industry leaders, meeting--531
Communications to Congress
Angola, message transmitting report on national emergency--529
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, message transmitting report--
530
Communications to Federal Agencies
Delegation of Responsibilities Related to the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, memorandum--524
Interviews With the News Media
Exchanges with reporters
Billings, MT--518
Cabinet Room--530
Kansas City, MO--513
Oval Office--543, 555
News conference, March 29 (No. 4)--536
Joint Statements
Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Transatlantic Vision for the
21st Century--546
Meetings With Foreign Leaders
Brazil, President Cardoso--555
Germany, Chancellor Schroeder--543, 546
United Nations, Secretary-General Annan--511
Proclamations
Cancer Control Month--534
National Child Abuse Prevention Month--535
Statements by the President
Macedonia, situation--511
Middle East, situation--551
Supplementary Materials
Acts approved by the President--558
Checklist of White House press releases--558
Digest of other White House announcements--557
Nominations submitted to the Senate--558
Editor's Note: The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is
also available on the Internet on the GPO Access service at http://
www.gpo.gov/nara/nara003.html.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF
------------------------------
PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS
Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National
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Compilation of Presidential Documents contains statements, messages, and
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[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 509-510]
Monday, April 2, 2001
Volume 37--Number 13
Pages 509-558
Week Ending Friday, March 30, 2001
Remarks Prepared for Delivery to a Friends of Ireland Luncheon
March 15, 2001
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Taoiseach, Secretary of State for Northern
Ireland John Reid, First Minister David Trimble, Deputy First Minister
Seamus Mallon, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, Secretary Powell,
Majority Leader Lott, other Members of Congress, thank you.
I thank the Speaker for the invitation to come here to celebrate the
shared history and heritage that unite Ireland and America. It is a
great honor. And I promise that my remarks today will be briefer than
the last time I spoke on Capitol Hill.
Some of you may be aware that I don't attend a lot of formal lunches
like this. But I had a change of heart when I saw that the Speaker's
menu included Tex-Mex food. I just couldn't pass up the chance to try a
green burrito.
On Saint Patrick's Day, we all get to be Irish for a day. There has
been a lot of speculation about whether I'm part Irish. I must be.
People say I talk like James Joyce writes.
Today I will speak plainly about an extremely important topic, peace
in Northern Ireland. The United States will remain unwavering in our
support of peace. We will remain unwavering in our support for all
parties who show courage and leadership on behalf of peace. And we will
remain unalterably opposed to anyone who would destroy peace by
preaching or practicing violence.
Much of the progress toward peace in the past several years has been
aided by the engagement of the United States. As I told Prime Minister
Blair--and as I will tell Prime Minister Ahern tomorrow--the United
States stands ready to continue that engagement. The reason is simple:
Peace in Northern Ireland is in America's strong national interest.
The peace that holds today has many authors, from President Clinton
to leaders from Britain, Ireland, and Northern Ireland to American
political leaders, such as Senator Mitchell. The Good Friday agreement
remains the best hope for lasting peace for the people of Northern
Ireland. The goal of the United States is to see that agreement fully
implemented.
There are two reasons for this. First, this is what the people of
Ireland and Northern Ireland voted for back on May 22, 1998. And they
did so by a very large margin. Second, the Good Friday agreement
embodies principles of fundamental fairness without which peace will
never breathe.
What are those principles? First, as stated in the agreement itself,
``it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement
between the two parts . . . to exercise their right to self-
determination on the basis of consent.'' The second principle is that of
territorial integrity, that borders should never be changed through
violence. Third, that terrorism is always and every where wrong. And
fourth, there is the principle of equality of representation and equal
treatment regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity.
The progress the parties have made in putting these principles into
practice has made a difference--a big difference. And no one knows this
better than the people of Northern Ireland themselves. Trade,
investment, and jobs are up. Violence is down from previous levels. More
people are moving into Northern Ireland than are moving out. In most
places on most days for most families, life is normal. They don't have
to worry when they get on a bus, go to a store or church, or send a
child to school. And no one can put a price on that peace of mind.
But no one can or should take this progress for granted, no one on
either side of the border, either side of the Irish Sea, or either side
of the Atlantic. It may be tempting for
[[Page 510]]
the parties to think they face a choice between further progress and the
status quo. But in fact, the actual choice is probably between progress
and a return to violence, because extremists on both sides still seek to
destroy the agreement. Delay and impasse create a vacuum that they will
try to fill. We must not let them.
The talks that Prime Ministers Blair and Ahern convened in Belfast
last week created an opportunity to restore momentum toward resolving
these issues and fully implementing the Good Friday agreement. Keeping
the process moving forward will mean compromise, hard work, and trust.
Trust is critical to resolving tough issues facing the parties: building
a police force that has the respect of all the people; putting arms
finally and forever beyond use; achieving a normal security presence
throughout the society; making sure the new political institutions are
here to stay. Now is the time to act--as Yeats said, ``Do not wait to
strike till the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking.''
The parties in Northern Ireland, many of whose leaders are
represented here today, have shown themselves capable of rising to the
occasion and moving forward with wisdom and confidence. And as you do
so, know that the United States will be ready to help in any way the
governments and the parties find useful.
It's been said that Ireland is a place where ``the inevitable never
happens and the unexpected constantly occurs.'' Three years ago, the
parties unexpectedly gave us the Good Friday agreement. Weeks later,
citizens in all parts of the island defied all expectations by voting to
approve the agreement in overwhelming numbers. This year on Saint
Patrick's Day, let us all resolve to push for peace, a lasting, real,
and needed peace.
Thank you very much.
Note: The President delivered the remarks at approximately noon in the
Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol. In the prepared text, the President
referred to First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister
Seamus Mallon, Northern Ireland Executive; Prime Minister Tony Blair of
the United Kingdom; Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland; and former
Senator George J. Mitchell, who chaired the multiparty talks in Northern
Ireland. This text was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
March 23. The remarks as delivered were not released. This item was not
received in time for publication in the appropriate issue.
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[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
[frwais.access.gpo.gov]
[Page 510-511]
Monday, April 2, 2001
Volume 37--Number 13
Pages 509-558
Week Ending Friday, March 30, 2001
Remarks Honoring Greek Independence Day
March 23, 2001
Your Eminence, thank you very much, sir. It's always an honor to be
in your presence. I think the last time we were together was at the
church service right after I had the honor of being sworn in as the
President. And I appreciate so very much you being there.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Niotis, Ambassador Philon,
Ambassador Marcoullis, Director Tenet, distinguished guests from Greece,
as well as from America, welcome. This is a beautiful room to hold an
important ceremony.
I want to thank you all for coming. I particularly want to thank
Congressman Mike Bilirakis, as well as Senator Olympia Snowe, who is not
with us today. I know where she is since I flew her up to Maine earlier.
[Laughter] I want to thank you both for organizing the events. And it's
interesting to note that I have been in your State and her State within
the last week. All is well. [Laughter]
When I became President, I inherited the responsibility to safeguard
one of America's oldest and most sacred friendships--that of the
Government and people of the United States with the Government and
people of Greece. We must keep that relationship vibrant, as it has been
for 180 years.
It was 180 years ago that Greece proclaimed its independence--yet
another example of Greece's contribution to the cause of human liberty.
Few nations in the history of the world have done more to contribute to
democratic self-government.
A Chinese scholar, hoping to foster an appreciation of Western
thought in his country, recently translated the works of Homer into
Chinese. He mastered ancient Greek in order to produce the most accurate
translation possible and explained it this way: ``If one wants to
understand Western civilization, one has to search back to its roots,
Other Popular 2001 Presidential Documents Documents:
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