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Volume 36--Number 36
Pages 1997-2024
Week Ending Friday, September 8, 2000
Statement on the Death of International Aid Workers
in West Timor
September 6, 2000
I was deeply saddened to learn today of the death of three dedicated
international aid workers, including an American citizen, Mr. Carlos
Caseras. Mr. Caseras and his colleagues were employees of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees working on an international
humanitarian effort in West Timor. They were killed, and several of
their co-workers were injured by local militias who have been on a
rampage of violence in West Timor. The United States has repeatedly
called on the Indonesian Government to take the necessary actions to
disarm and disband these militias. Only such steps will create a
security environment that enables provision of humanitarian assistance,
resolution of the refugee problem, and a return to peace in Timor.
This tragedy gives added urgency to the Indonesian Government's
obligation to turn words into actions on Timor. The Government of
Indonesia must live up to its commitments to restore order and to ensure
the safety and welfare of all refugees and foreign nationals.
I want to extend my personal condolences and that of all Americans
to Carlos Caseras's family and to the families of the other victims.
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Monday, September 11, 2000
Volume 36--Number 36
Pages 1997-2024
Week Ending Friday, September 8, 2000
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Legislation for a National Blood
Alcohol Content Standard To Combat Drunk Driving
September 6, 2000
Dear __________ :
I am writing to convey my strong support for a critical public
safety issue under consideration by the Conference Committee for the FY
01 Transportation Appropriations bill. As you know, the Senate-passed
Transportation Appropriations bill includes a provision sponsored by
Senator Frank Lautenberg and supported by Senate Transportation
Subcommittee Chairman Richard Shelby to help set a national impaired
driving standard at .08 blood alcohol content (BAC). Currently, 18
states already have .08 BAC in place as the legal limit for drunk
drivers, and I strongly support making this the nationwide standard. As
the bill moves forward, I urge you to also address a number of other
important issues that we have raised separately with the House and
Senate versions of the bill.
The final 1999 Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) assessment
released today by Department of Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater
shows that alcohol-related traffic fatalities are continuing to decline
and have hit a record low. However, we are still losing over 15,700
American lives in alcohol-related crashes every year--one every 33
minutes. It is imperative that we do more
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to save lives and keep drunk drivers off our roads. Enacting a standard
of .08 BAC across the country is the next logical step. Studies have
shown that a nationwide limit of .08 BAC could save an estimated 500
lives a year.
That is why I strongly urge the Conference Committee to send me a
final bill that includes this life-saving .08 BAC provision. The
Congress missed an opportunity 2 years ago when conferencing the TEA-21
bill to make a .08 BAC standard mandatory, despite strong bipartisan
support. Since that time, we have lost over 30,000 more Americans to
impaired drivers on our nation's roads. We cannot afford to wait any
longer to save more lives.
Along with the thousands of families that have lost loved ones to
drunk drivers, I urge you to seize this opportunity to work with your
colleagues on the Conference Committee and ensure this provision is in
the final FY 01 Transportation Appropriations bill.
Sincerely,
William J. Clinton
Note: Letters were sent to Ted Stevens, chairman, and Robert C. Byrd,
ranking member, Senate Committee on Appropriations; and C.W. Bill Young,
chairman, and David R. Obey, ranking member, House Committee on
Appropriations. An original was not available for verification of the
contents of this letter.
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Monday, September 11, 2000
Volume 36--Number 36
Pages 1997-2024
Week Ending Friday, September 8, 2000
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Convention for the Unification of
Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air With Documentation
September 6, 2000
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit herewith, for Senate advice and consent to ratification,
the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International
Carriage by Air, done at Montreal May 28, 1999 (the ``Convention''). The
report of the Department of State, including an article-by-article
analysis, is enclosed for the information of the Senate in connection
with its consideration of the Convention.
I invite favorable consideration of the recommendation of the
Secretary of State, as contained in the report provided herewith, that
the Senate's advice and consent to the Convention be subject to a
declaration on behalf of the United States, pursuant to Article 57(a) of
the Convention, that the Convention shall not apply to international
carriage by air performed and operated directly by the United States for
noncommercial purposes in respect to its functions and duties as a
sovereign State. Such a declaration is consistent with the declaration
made by the United States under the Convention for the Unification of
Certain Rules Relating to International Carriage by Air, done at Warsaw
October 12, 1929, as amended (the ``Warsaw Convention'') and is
specifically permitted by the terms of the new Convention.
Upon entry into force for the United States, the Convention, where
applicable, would supersede the Warsaw Convention, as amended by the
Protocol to Amend the Warsaw Convention, done at Montreal September 25,
1975 (``Montreal Protocol No. 4''), which entered into force for the
United States on March 4, 1999. The Convention represents a vast
improvement over the liability regime established under the Warsaw
Convention and its related instruments, relative to passenger rights in
the event of an accident. Among other benefits, the Convention
eliminates the cap on carrier liability to accident victims; holds
carriers strictly liable for proven damages up to 100,000 Special
Drawing Rights (approximately $135,000) (Special Drawing Rights
represent an artificial `basket' currency developed by the International
Monetary Fund for internal accounting purposes to replace gold as a
world standard); provides for U.S. jurisdiction for most claims brought
on behalf of U.S. passengers; clarifies the duties and obligations of
carriers engaged in code-share operations; and, with respect to cargo,
preserves all of the significant advances achieved by Montreal Protocol
No. 4.
I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration
to this Convention and that the Senate give its advice and consent to
ratification, subject to a declaration that the Convention shall not
apply to
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international carriage by U.S. State aircraft, as provided for in the
Convention.
William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 6, 2000.
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Monday, September 11, 2000
Volume 36--Number 36
Pages 1997-2024
Week Ending Friday, September 8, 2000
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Kim Dae-jung
of South Korea in New York City
September 7, 2000
Middle East Peace Process
Q. Mr. President, how did your Middle East meetings go yesterday?
And are there any more meetings planned--did you make any progress?
The President. Well, I think they went basically well. They were
good, constructive meetings. I think they both very much want an
agreement, and they understand they have a limited time in which to
achieve it. And we discussed a whole range of things, in terms of where
we were and where we were going.
I don't know if there will be any more meetings while we're here. I
worked until late in the night last night, and as you see, I'm here with
President Kim, and I have a few other meetings, and then we'll see where
we are and what, if anything, else should be done while we're here. But
I'm confident there will be a serious effort to work through these
things over the next few weeks.
Q. Would that include a summit, sir, before the end of October?
The President. Well, there's been no discussion of that.
Oil Prices
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your meeting with the Saudi
Prince yesterday, any discussion of oil production?
The President. Yes, we talked about it. You know, I told him that I
was very concerned that the price of oil was too high, not just for
America but for the world, that if it's a cause of recession in any part
of the world, that would hurt the oil producing countries, and there are
other reasons why it was not in their interest. And he agreed with that.
He's been very strong about that.
And I said I certainly hoped that when OPEC met there would be an
increase in production, because that was the policy they adopted.
Remember, they adopted a policy that said if the price got outside the
range--as I remember the range, it was $22, $28 a barrel--and they would
take appropriate action. So I hope that they will.
Of course, in the United States, we had a particular concern because
our inventories are at a 24-year low and because in this region, New
York and up north, are so dependent on heating oil. And we're attempting
now to fill our reserve and to look at what all of our options are,
particularly for meeting the home heating oil needs of the American
people. So we're working on all that.
I also will say it's not too late for Congress to pass the long-term
energy agenda I've had up there for a couple of years, which will make
us relatively less reliant on oil by increasing conservation and
alternative technologies and energy sources. And I certainly hope that
we'll be able to persuade them to pass that in this environment before
they go home.
Korean Unification
Q. On Korean unification, do you see any prospects, sir?
The President. Well, I think you ought to ask President Kim. I think
the main thing I would like to say about that is that I think he has
done a brave and a good thing, not only for the people of his country
and North Korea but for the whole stability of the region by taking this
initiative. It has been very impressive to me, and I have strongly
supported it. And I will continue to strongly support it. I think it's
not only good on a human level but for the long-term security of the
Korean Peninsula and all of east Asia--I think it is a very, very
positive goal. We will continue to be supportive.
Note: The exchange began at 10:03 a.m. at the Waldorf-Astoria. In his
remarks, the President referred to Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi
Arabia. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this
exchange.
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Monday, September 11, 2000
Volume 36--Number 36
Pages 1997-2024
Week Ending Friday, September 8, 2000
Remarks at a Reception for Leaders of African Nations in New York City
September 7, 2000
Well, first of all, let me thank Congressman Jefferson. This
reception was his idea, and I thank him for his work on it--and all the
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus who helped him who are
detained in Washington for votes this afternoon. I want to thank all the
leaders of African nations who are here and the diplomats and the
business leaders who have come.
There's a simple purpose to this event. We want to say that Africa
matters to America. Or as Reverend Jackson, my Special Envoy, was just
saying, we don't see Africa as a continent of debtor nations; we see
Africa as a credit bank for America's future, an opportunity for a real
and genuine and lasting partnership.
I just got back from Nigeria and Tanzania, where I was with some of
you in Arusha. And that trip reminded me again of all the positive
things that are out there to be built in the future. It also enabled me
to say something no American President had ever been able to say: I was
glad to go to Africa for the second time.
But I think, and I hope and pray, that no future American President
will ever not say that, that we will take it for granted that we should
have a broad, comprehensive, in-depth, consistent relationship with
Africa. We have a shared interest in making sure that the people of
Africa seize their opportunities and work with us to build a common
future.
Of course, the governments of Africa have to lay the foundations--
the rule of law, a good climate for investment, open markets, and making
national investments that broaden the economic base and provide benefits
to ordinary people. These things will work.
Last year the world's fastest growing economy was Mozambique, and
Botswana was second. Nigeria turned a fiscal debt into a surplus. So
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