t 7585721 20060476F 001 005 2013

Withdrawal/Redactiol1 Sheet Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. email Victoria Showalter to Daniel Benjamin and Antony Blinken [partial] 11/20/1995 P6/b(6) (2 pages) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records NSC Emails MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) HRosweUll OAiBox Number: 590000 FOLDER TITLE: [04/19/1995 -11130/1995] RESTRICTION CODES 2006-0476-F ds255 Presidential Records Act -[44 U.S.c. 2204(a)1 PI National Security Classified Information l(a)(1) ofthe PRA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office l(a)(2) of the PRAI P3 Release would violate a Federal statute l(a)(3) of the PRAI P4 n.elease would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information l(a)(4) of thePRAI P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President and his advisors, or between such advisors la)(5) ofthe PRAI P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy l(a)(6) of the PRAJ C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of gift. PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. 2201 (3). RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)1 b(t) National security classified information l(b)(I) of the FOIA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIAI b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute l(b)(3) of the FOIAI b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial hiformation [(b)(4) of the FOIA) b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy (b)(6) of the FOIAI b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes l(b)(7) of the FOlAj b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of financial institutions l(b)(8) of the FOtAI b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIAI 2F952D3 7 .FIN Page 1 of 1 MSMail DATE-TIME FROM CLASSIFICATION SUBJECT TO CARBON COPY TEXT BODY 19 April 95 08:34 Leary, William H. UNCLASSIFIED Subject: RE: #2948 [UNCLASSIFIED] Funches, Christina L. Andricos, George M. Danvers"William C .. Kreczko, Alan 1. Sestak, Joseph A. Chris, I assume that Bill or Mike will want to handle the response to GAO. I can provide most of the answer, and will be happy to draft something if that is the preferred approach. ' The NSC has no records concerning the 1947 incident at Roswell. And I doubt that anyone on the NSC staff has any "knowledge" of this UFO incident, but Joe Sestak could confirm that. To the extent there are any records, they would most likely be at the Archives. The number they should call to pursue the matter there is 301-71-3-7250. From: Funches, Christina L. To: Leary, William H. CC: IN, NonRecord at Al Subject: #2948 [UNCLASSIFIED] Date: Tuesday, April 18, 1995 03:48 PM How should Bill handle this request? Thanks. Withdrawal/Redaction Marker Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUB.IECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. email Victoria Showalter to Daniel Benjamin and Antony Blinken [partial] 1112011995 P61b(6) , r (2 pages) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records NSC Emails MSMail-Record (Sept 94-Sept 97) HRoswelll) OAiBox Number: 590000 FOLDER TITLE: [04119/1995 - 11/30/1995] 2006-0476-P ds255 RESTRICTION CODES I'residential Records Act -144 U.S.C. 2204(a)1 1'1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(I) of the PRA) P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRAI P3 Release would violate a F:ederal statute [(a)(3) of the PRAI P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information l(a)(4) of the PRA) P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President and his advisors, or between such advisors la)(5) of the PRAI P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy l(a)(6) of the PRA( C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of gift. PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. 2rolO~ , RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. , Freedom of Information Act -[5 U.S.C. 552(b)( b(l) National security classIned information (b)(l) ofthe FOIA( b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an agency (b)(2) of the FOIAI b(3) Release would vlohite a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIAI h(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial information l(b)(4) of the. FOIAI ' b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy l(b)(6) of the FOIAI b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes (b)(7) of the FOIAI b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA) b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information concerning wells (b)(9) of the FOIA( ,j,. " M S,M ai I DATE-TIME 20 November 95 12:20 F'ROM Showalter, Victoria A. CCASSIFICATION UNCLASSIFIED SUBJECT Xmas tree lighting draft [UNCLASSIFIED] TO Benjamin, Daniel BI,inken, Antony J. CARBON COpy NOCC's on THIS MESSAGE ' TEXT BODY HO,ho ho... [[XMAS.DOC : 3135 in XMAS.DOC]] ATTACHMENT FILE DATE 20 November 95 12:19 ATTACHMENT FILE NAME XMAS.DOC PRESIDENT WILLIAM 1. CLINTON REMARKS AT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CITY HALL, BELF AST, NORTHERN IRELAND NOVEMBER 30, 1995 Acknowledgments: The Lord Mayor ofBelfast, Eric Smyth Ladies and gentlemen, I have been in politics all my life. I have run for election atthe state level, the nation,allevel, a~d ultimately for America's highest office. I have faced some tough competition an d 'been put through some difficult races. But never have I confronted challengers with the name recognition, the media savvy, and the , . rn.artial arts ability of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. To all of you whose suppo , rt enabled me to join you 'tonight, I extend my heartfelt thanks. , , Holiday joking aside -- it is wonderful to join you tonightand to celebrate the sea son together. I understand the ·. city of Belfast has sponsored a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony for more than 20 ye ars -- but this year, as you enter your second Christmas of peace, the occasion is e~pecially joyous. Across the ocean, the American people are rejoicing with you. The ties between Nort hem Ireland and the United .. . States are rich and varied --from the hundreds of thousands [millions?] of American s of Northern Irish descent. .. to the warmth yo.u showed the AmericanArmy stationed here in the Second World War. Northern Ireland was the base from whiCh our forces began the long hard march to All . ied victory in Europe. . . Today it is my privilege to rededicate a plaque laid fifty years ago,when General D wight Eisenhower returned to . . Belfast to become an Honorary Burgess of the city. G~neral Eisenhower viewed the honor bestowed on him "as a token ofour common purpos e to work together for . a better world." That mission endures today. We are partners in security, partners in prosperity, and, most important, partners in peace. Two years ago, at this very spot, tens of thousands of you took part in a community day for peace, which had been prompted by some ofthe worst violence in recent years. Across Northern'Irelan d, thousands of others joined their voices to the growing chorus for peace. The two morning newspapers, representing both traditions, sponsored a telephone poll . for peace that generated almost 160,000 calls. The equivalent figure for the United States would have been 2 5 million people. That poll . . ' It;ft no,doubt that the desire for peace was becoming a demand for peace --that it w as deeply and equally felt throughout Northern Ireland, in Protestant and Catholic, urban and rural, working an d middle class communities ' , alike. I am honored to announce today that those same two newspapers .:-The News Letter and The Irish News -- have established the President's Prize, an annual award to those who have contributed mos t to peace and reconciiiation ,'" .. at the grassroots level. The honorees will be able to travel to the United States t o study issues [like???] that will be of relevance to them back home. I hope too that they will be able to share their ex periences with their peers in America. We all have much to learn from one another. The President's Prize will emphasize that, in spite of their political differences, the two traditions have a common interest in peace anq reconciliation. It will symbolize the long and deep connectio ," ns between Northern Ireland· and the United States -- not least that fully one quarter of Americais presidents ha d roots in this part of Ireland. Finally, I hope it will be a lasting reminder that by coming together tonight, we ha ve taken ariother step toward the . peace and reconciliation that can and should be our legacy to the children ofNorthe rn Ireland and the world this' Christmas. As many of you know, I have been privileged to receive thousands ofletters from sch oolchildren from all over Northern Ireland, telling me /what peace means to them. The letters poured in from v illages and cities, from . Catholic communities and ProtesUmt communities, from mixed schools, primary schools , and schools for , children with special needs. All of the letters were wonderful --for their honesty , their maturity, and their paSSIOn. , Many ofthe children showed tremendous pride in the beauty oftheir homeland.)I rec eived many offers to visit their homes and their schools, and I am sorry I could not take advantage of that gen erous hospitality. Keith . _,an II-year old from Carrickfergus, Wrote: "Please tell everyone in America ~are not always . fighting here and that it is only a smali number of people who make trouble, and unf ortunately they are the ones ' that the rest of the world~hears about~l:l;ike many;of the children; Keithdid,notd··, istinguish between sides. . I learned many stories of individual pain and loss; So many children had lost a reI ative, or a friend. Yet they showed remarkable courage and strength, and a commitment to move forward together. As 14 Sharon of County Armagh wrote, "Both sides have been hurt, both sides must forgive. children shared their wishes.for the future. Thirteen year-old Grainne dreamed of a fresh Northern Ireland. "I would like to be able to walk without fear in an y street in our cities," she wrote. "I would like to be able, if I wished, to apply for a job in our police force witho ut being made to feel a traitor. I would like to see my country grow and become a nation people looked up to as friendl y and hard working. I would like to. be proud to say'I come from Northern Ireland." 1 And many of the children expressed their willingness -- indeed, their sense ofoblig ation -- to do their part.to help the peace process succeed. As ofOmaghexplained, "We have been ., given a unique chance to bury our bitterness, our hate and spite .... Time may not heal the pain and mistrus . t we have suffered over 25 . years of bloodshed, but it is our duty to work together to make certain the next gen . eration will not re-sutfer our' , pain." [announce two winners here?] Despite the extraordinary hardships so many ofthese children had faced, their lette rs were full of hope and humor ..' and love. To all ofyou who took the time to share your thoughts with me, thank you for your wonderful insights. ' To all of you who asked me to do what I could to help the peace take root, I pledge to you that America will ' continue to stand with the peacemakers. We will work with you to create good jobs a nd bright opportunities for all ofNorthern Ireland's people. We will not let you down. . . . 6(4) ; And to 13 year-old Ryan ofBelfast, if you're out there: No, an alien spacecr aft did not crash in :'5 < Roswe > , New Mexico in 5< ] 947» .. And ifthe u.s. Air Force recovered alien bodies and mounted a cover-up, it's news t6 me. Ladies and gentlemen, citizens ofBelfast, friends of my country and the American pe ople: Let the Christmas' " :'"message·of peace,iand goodwill· fioari sh, and"grew"iIl,y our, land." .Letthe.lights on the.,;, •• '"::" ·,.,'!·,,;i.,:. ~:c)" \"":"'h<"I:;~'.,-':'"'!'\:':;~":~.:;';.l,J ';, tree that we celebrate tonight , symbolize the kindling of hope in all of our hearts for a bright and peaceful future for Northern Ireland. ©1997-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices. M SM a i I DATE-TIME 21 November 95 14:41 FROM Showalter, Victoria A. CLASSIFICATION UNCLASSIFIED SUBJECT Revised Xmas Tree Lighting [UNCLASSIFIED] TO Baker, Jane E. Baldwin, Kenneth Bass, Peter E. ' Benjamin, Daniel Blinken, Antony J. Cicio, Kristen K; Dohse, Fred J. Gray, Wendy Hall, Wilma G. Harmon, Joyce A. Joshi, M. Kay , Kessinger, Jodi Millison, Cathy L. Peters, Mary A. Schuker, Jill A. Sens, Andrew D. Showalter, Victoria A. Veit, Katherine M. Wiley, Mary C. CARBON COPY NO CC's on THIS MESSAGE . TEXT BODY Per Nancy Soderberg's suggestions, I have shortened the section on the President's prize, cut back the quotes from kids' letters, added more on the benefits of peace, and closed on a Christmas note with a quote from the Bible. This draft also reflects the commentsTony Lake made this morning. , i:,· ··ldecided not to use the children's last names in the speech, for fear of k'i:,~fying them unwanted attention. Kathy Stephens agrees. \::/: !:ha?ks toall for your help --Vinca. j"' . 1,:[[XMAS2DOC : 3611 in XMAS2DOC II L:.'?: '.' .... ',: . ATTACHMENT FILE DATE 21 November 95 14:33 ATTACHMENT FILE NAME XMAS2.DOC . PRESIDENT WILLIAM 1. CLINTON REMARKS AT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CITY HALL, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND , NOVEMBER 30, 1995 Acknowledgments: The Lord Mayor ofBelfast, Eric Smyth Ladies and gentlemen, I have been in politics for most ofmy life. I have run for e lection in my home state of . Arkansas and throughout the United States when I sought the Presidency --and I hav e faced some tough . competition. But never have I confronted challengers with the name recognition, the media savvy, and the mattial arts ability ofthe Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. To all of you whose suppo rt enabled me to join you . tonight, I extend my heartfelt thanks. It is wonderful to be with all of you tonight and to celebrate the season together. I understand the cityofBelfast ,. has held a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony for more thari 20 years --bunhis year the occasion is especially . joyous, because you are entering your second Christmas of peace. Now people cando their holiday shopping without worrying about searches or bombs. They can visit their loved . ones on the other side ofthe border without the burden ofcheckpoints or roadblocks ; Theycan enjoy the sparkling lights of the city without fearing the specter ofviolence. Peace has bro ught real change to people's ' lives. . Across the-ocean, the American people are rejoicing along with you. Northern Irelan d and the United States are joined by strong ties ofcommunity, commerce, and culture. Over the years, men and. women of both traditions have flourished in America and helped America to flourish . . In this 50th anniversary.year ofthe end of World War II, many Americans still remem ber the warmth you showed the American Armyforces that were stationed here under General Eisenhower. Today i - t is my privilege to . rededicate a plaque laid in 1945, when General Eisenhower returned to Belfast to be awarded the freedom ofthe city. .. General Eisenhower viewed the honor bestowed on him "as a token ofour common purpos e to work together for a better world:," That mission endures today. We remain partners for security, part ners for prosperity, and, most important, partners for peace, Two years ago, at this very spot, tens ofthousands ofyou took part in a day for pe ace, as a response to some of the worst violence Northern Ireland had khown in recent years. The two morning news papers, representing both traditions, sponsored a telephone poll for peace that generated almost 160,000 calls -- the equivalent of25 million . , calls in the United States. The response left no doubt that across Northern Ireland , the desire for peace was becoming a demand. I am honored to announce today that those same two newspapers -- The News Letter and The Irish News -- have established the President's Prize, an annual award to those at the grassroots level . who have contributed most to peace and reconciliation. The honorees will travel to the United States to exchange experiences on issues we , share -- such as community relations and conflict resolution. We all have much to I earn from one another. . The President's Prize will underscore that Northern Ireland's two traditions have a common interest in peace. It will symbolize the bonds between Northern Ireland and the United States -- not least that fully one quarter of America's presidents had roots in this soil. And-I hope it will remind uS that by c oming together tonight, we have taken another step toward the peace that can and should be our legacy to the childre n of . Northern Ireland and the . world this Christmas. As many ofyou may know, I have received thousands of letters from schoolchildren fr , om all over Northern ­ . . ­ Ireland, telling me what peace means to them. The letters poured in from villages a nd cities, from Catholic . . communities and Protestant communities, from mixed schools, primary schools, and sch ools for children with . special needs. All ofthe letters were wonderful -- for their honesty, their maturi ty, and their passion. Many of the children showed tremendous pride in their homeland -- in its beauty,and in its true nature. Eleven' . , • , . I year-old Keith from Carrickfergus wrote: "Please tell everyone in America ,that we a re not always fighting here . . , and that it is only a small number ofpeople who make trouble .... " Like many ofthe children, Keith did not \ identify himself as Protestant or Catholic, and did not distinguish between violent forces on either ,side. I So many children told me of loved ones they had lost --of lives disrupted, opportun ities forsaken, and families " forced to move. Yet they showed remarkable courage and strength -- and a commitmen t to overcome the past. As 14 year-old Sharon of County Armagh [ar-MAH] wrote, "Both sides have been hurt, b oth sides must forgive." Many of the children shared their hopes for the future, like 13 year-old Grainne [GR ON-yeh]. "I would like to see my country grow and become a nation people looked up to as friendly and hard working ," she wrote. "I would like'to be proud to-say 'I come from.Northern Ireland.'" [announce two winners here?] , Despite the extraordinary hardships so many of these children have faced, their lett ers were full of hope and humor and love. To all of you who took the time to share' your thoughts with me, thank you for bright ening my holiday season with' your words of faith and courage. To all of you who askedm~ to do what I could to help the peace take root, I pledge America's support. We.will ' continue to stand with those who take risks for peace. We will work with you to giv ' e all ofNorthern Ireland's children the chance to make the most of their God-given potentiaL, And to 13 year-old Ryan ofBelfast, if you're out there: No, an alien spacecraft di d not crash in <~Roswell» ,New .' Mexico in <<: 1947» . And ifthe U.S. Air Forc~ recovered allen bodies and didn't tell an yone ~bout it, it's news to me. Ladies and gentlemen, citizens ofBelfast, friends of my country and the American pe ople: May the Christmas, ' spirit of peace and goodwill' flourish and grow in your land. May the prophecy of Is aiah be realized here: ' " ...ye shall go out withjoy and be led forward with peace: The mountains and the h ills shall break forth ,', , before you into singing, and all the trees ofthe field shall clap their hands." And may the lights on the tree that we celebrate tonight reflect the kindling ofhop e and faith in our hearts for a peaceful Northern Ireland. ,,. ©1997-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights o Learn more' about Microsoft Windows 2000! reserved. / 30B29DD5.FIN Page 1 of 4 MSMail DATE-TIME 21 November 95 19:46 FROM Showalter, Victoria A. CLASSIFICATION UNCLASSIFI~D SUBJECT Xmas tree lighting [UNCLASSIFIED] T0, Baker, Jane E. Baldwin, Kenn~th . Bass, Peter E. Benjamin, Daniel Blinken, Antony J. Cicio, Kristen K. Gray, Wendy Hall, Wilma G. Joshi, M. Kay Kessinger, Jodi Millison,Cathy L. . Peters, Mary A. Showalter, Victoria A. Veit, Katherine M. Wiley, Mary C. CARBON_COPY NO CC's on THIS MESSAGE TEXT_BODY Per Tony Lake, I have deleted one more of the children's letters ... ,revised version attached. [[ XMAS2.DOC : 4878 in XMAS2.DOC ]] ATTACHMENT FILE 21 November 95 19:25 DATE ATT ACHMENT FILE XMAS2.DOG NAME PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON REMARKS AT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CITY HALL, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND NOVEMBER 30, 1995 Acknowledgments: The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Eric Smyth Ladies and gentlemen, I have been in politics for most of my life. I have run for e lection in my home state of . . . Arkansas and throughout the United States when I sought the Presidency -- and I hav 30B29DD5'.FIN Page 2 of 4 e faced some tough competition. But never have I confronted challengers with the name recognition, the media savvy, and the ­ martird arts ability of the MightY Morphin Power Rangers. To all of you whose suppo rt enabled me to join you tonight, I extend my heartfelt thanks. It is wonderful to be with all of you tonight and to celebrate the season together. I understand the city of Belfast has held a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony for more than 20 years -- but this year the occasion is especially joyous, because you are entering your second Christmas of peace. Now people can do their holiday shopping without worrying about searches or bombs. They can visit their loved' ones on the other side of the border without the burden of checkpoints or roadblocks . They can enjoy the sparkling lights of the city without fearing the specter of violence. Peace has bro ught real change to people's lives. Across the ocean, the American people are rejoicing along with you. Northern Irelan d and the United States are joined,'by-strong ties ofcommunity, commerce, and-culture. Overthe years; men and women of both traditions have flourished in America and helped America to flourish. In this 50th anniversary year of the end of World War II, many Americans still remem . . . . ber the warmth you showed the American Army forces that were stationed here under General Eisenhower. Today i t is my privilege to rededicate a plaque laid in 1945, when General Eisenho\Ver returned to Belfast to be awarded the freedom of the ' ' city .. General Eisenhower viewed the honor bestowed on him "as a token of our common purpos e to work together for , a better world." That mission endures today. We remain partners for security, part ners for prosperity, and; most important, partners for peace. ­ Two years ago, at this very spot, tens of thousands of yOU took part in a dayfor pe ace, as a response to some of ',. the worst violence Northern Ireland had known in recent years. The two morning news papers, representing both . , traditions, sponsored a telephone poll for peace that generated almost 160;000 calls -- the equivalent of 25 million calls in the United States. The response left no doubt that across Northern Ireland , the desire for peace was 30B29DD5.FIN Page 3 of4 becoming a demand. I am honored to announce today that those same two newspapers -- The.NewsLetter and The Irish News --have established the President's Prize, an annual award to those at the grassroots level who have contributed most to peace andreconci,liatidn. The honorees will travel to the United States to exchange. . . expenences on Issues we " share --such as community relations and conflict resolution. We all have much to I earn from one another. The President's Prize will underscore that Northern Ireland's two traditions have a common interest in peace. It . . will symbolize the bonds between Northern Ireland and the United States --not least that fully one quarter of America's presidents had roots in this soil. And I hope it will remind us that by c oming together toriight, we have taken another step toward the peace that can and should be our legacy to the childre n ofNorthern Ireland and the . world this Christmas. As many of you may know, I have received thousands ofletters from schoolchildren fr om all over Northern . Ireland, telling me what peace means to them. The letters poured in from villages a nd cities, from Catholic communities and Protestant communities, from mixed schools, primary schools, and sch . ools for children with special needs. All of the letters were wonderful --for their honesty, their maturi ty, and their passion .. Many of the children showed tremendous pride in their homeland -,-.in its beauty, and in its true nature. Eleven year-old Keith from Carrickfergus wrote: "Please tell everyone in America that we a re not always fighting here . and that it is only a small number ofpeople who make trouble .... " Like many of the children, Keith did not identify himself as Protestant or Catholic, and did not distinguish between violent . . forces on either side. . . So many children told me of loved ones they had lost --of lives disrupted, opportun hies forsaken, and families . . forced to move. Yet they showed remarkable courage and strength -- and a commitmen t to overcome the past. . . As 14 year-old Sharon of County Armagh [ar-MAH] wrote, "Both sides have been hurt, b . oth sides must forgive~" 30B29DD5.FIN Page 4 of4 ) [announce two winners here?] Despite the extraordinary hardships so many of these children have faced, their lett erswere full of hope and humor and love. To all ofyou who took the time to share your thoughts with me, thank you for bright ening my holiday season with your words of faith and courage. To all of you who asked me to do what I could to help the peace take root, I pledge America's support. We will continue to stand with those who take,risks for peace. We will work with you to giv e all of Northern Ireland's children the chance to make the most of their God-given potential. And to 13 year-old Ryan of Belfast, if you're out there: No, an alien spacecraft di d not crash in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. And if the U.S. Air Force recovered alien bodies and didn't tell an yone about it, it's news to me. Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Belfast, friends of my country and the American pe ople: May the Christmas. spirit of peace and goodwill flourish and grow in your land. May the prophecy of Is aiah be realized here: " ... ye shall go out with joy and be led forward with peace: The mountains and the h ills shall break forth . . before you into singing, and all the trees ofthe field shall clap their hands." And may the lights on the tree that we celebrate tonight reflect the kindling of hop e and faith in our hearts for a . peaceful Northern Ireland. MSMail DATE-TIME FROM CLASSIFICATION SUBJECT , TO CARBON_COPY TEXT_BODY ATTACHMENT FILE DATE ATTACHMENT FILE NAME 27 November 9509:10 Showalter, Victoria A. UNCLASSIFIED Belfast drafts [UNCLASSIFIED] Baker, Jane E. Baldwin, Kenneth Bass, Peter E. Benjamin, Daniel Blinken, Antony J. Cicio, Kristen K. Dohse, Fred 1. Gray, Wendy Hall, Wilma G. Harmon, Joyce A. Joshi, M. Kay Kessinger, Jodi Millison, Cathy L. Sens, Andrew D. Showalter, Victoria A. Veit, Katherine M. Wiley, Mary C. NO CC's on THIS MESSAGE These are the latest versions of both... only minor changes since we passed the drafts to the President on Wednesday. ' I [[ MACKIE5.DOC : 2375 inMACKIE5.DOC ]][[~MAS2.DOC : 2376 in XMAS2.DOC ]] . 25 November 95 13:41 MACKIE5.DOC , 11125/95 2 pm PRESIDENT WILLIAM 1. CLINTON REMARKS AT MACKIE'S PLANT BELFAST,NORTHERNlRELAND NOVEMBER 30, 1995 [Acknowledgments] It is my pleasure and privilege to be among the people of Northern Ireland, who have given so much to America' , and the world. One in four of America's Presidents can trace his roots to Ireland's shores --,from Andrew Jackson, the son of immigrants from Carrickfergus, to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, whose forbears came from County Wexford. I may be the latest in this time'-honored tradition -- but I am the first to make it back to Belfast. ' ' Thank you for a wonderful homecoming. Around the world, the promise of peace is closer today than ever. The barriers and blocs ofthe Cold War are ' giving way to a global village, where communication and cooperation are the order of the day. Conflicts we long thought impossible to solve,are moving along the road to resolution. And once bitter foes are clasping hands and changing history. Ours is an era of miracles. And today in Northern Ireland, you are making one. Her , e in the land of the harp and fiddie, the fife and the lamdeg drum, two proud traditions are coming together in a glorious symphony of peace.' The cease-fire and the negotiations have sparked a powerful transformation. Mackie' s plant, where we meet today, is a symbol ofNorthern Ireland's rebirth. It lies on what is known as the" peace line!! --the wall of steel and stone that separates Protestant from Catholic. But today, with Pat Dougan's lea dership, it is bridging the' . divide. Mackie's has turned,the page on a history ofdiscrimination; fair employmen t and integration are the ' watchwords of the future. On the shop floor, men and women of both traditions are w orking together to achieve '.' . common goals --to provide a good life for the families they love and to help build a prosperous Belfast. " Peace has ,evolved from a distant dream to a difference in every day life. Soldiers have left the streets of Belfast ' . .' , and many have gone home. People can go to the pub or the store without the burden 0 f a search or the threat of .­ a bomb. As barriers disappear along the North-South border, families and parishes d ivided for decades are . ' becoming whole once more. , This year in Arn;agh'[ar-MAH] on S1. Patrick's Day, Protestant and Catholic children. I ' led the parade together for, the first time since "the troubles" began. A bystander's words marked the wonder of the occasion: "Even the normal is beginning. to seem normal." The economic. rewards of peace are evident as well. Unemployment has fallen to its I owest level in 14 years, while retail sales and investment are taking off. From the gleaming city center to the ne w shopfronts of West Belfast to the enterprise center in East Belfast, bus'iness is thriving and opportunities are ex panding. With everyday that the , guns are still, business confidence grows stronger -- ,and so does the promise of pro sperity. For 26 years, Northern Ireland's beauty was obscured by a shroud of terror. Today; the spirit of peace and ' ,progress is raising that shroud at last. The castles and coasts ... the Giant's Caus eway ... the lush green hills and the high white cliffs are a magical backdrop to your greatest asset: the warmth and wit ofyour people. Visitors are coming in record numbers [TK]. Today the air-route between Belfast and London i s the second busiest in Europe. , I want to honor those whose courage and vision have brought us to this point. Prime Minister Major, Prime MinisterBruton, and before him Prime Minister Reynolds, laid the basis for an era 0 f reconciliation. From the Downing' Street Declaratiqn to the Joint Framework Document, they altered the course of history with the simple ' , stroke ofa pen. Foreign Minister Spring, Sir Patrick Mayhew, David Trimble, and Jo hn Hume have also labored . to reaiize the promise of peace. And G~rry Adams, along with loyalist representativ es, helped to' silence the guns on the streets . . But most of all, America salutes the people ofNorthern Ireland, who have shown tht: world that the will for peace , is stronger than the weapons ofwar. ThroughoutNorthern Ireland, civic and communi ty leaders are working on the front lines ofchange. Even before the troubles began, the Corrymeela Community -- headquartered here in Belfast [TK].;,-has been building bridges of understanding among people of different traditions. In various counties, mixed sporting events 'are encouraging competition on the playing field, no t the battlefield. Women's support groups, literacy programs, and job training centers that serve both communit ies are helping people to pull together as they ,struggle to lift their lives. These' and countless other initia!ive ' s bolster the foundations of peace. Last year's cease-fire of the Irish Republican Army, joined by the Combined Loyalist Military Command, marked a ' turning point in Northern Ireland's history. Now is the time to sustain tile moment . urn and lock in the gains of peace. Neither community wants to go back to the violent days of the past. Both th' eparties must do their part to ' . move the process forward. The search for common ground demands the courage of an open mind. Only by getting t ' o know one another cim differences be resolved. [I hope the parties in Northern Ireland can soon sit down together.] Engaging in honest dialogue is not an act of surrender, but of strength.. [There also must be progress away from the negotiating table. Violence has lessened , but it has not disappeared. I share the concern and anger expresse.d ten days· ago by the leaders of the four main c hurches, who condemned the so-called punishment beatings and called for an end to such attacks; As the' church leaders said, this is a time . "when the utmost efforts on all sides are needed to build a peaceful and confident c ommunity for the future."] , [And to all who are observing the cease-fire, I appeal to you to take the next step -- addressing the issue of ' decommissioning paramilitary weapons. For 25 years, the history of this province ha s been written in the blood of its children. You turned the page on that history. You must not allow it to tum b ack.] . But true peace will require mo·re than a treaty ... more than an absence of violence. People must hold real hope in their hearts that tomorrow will be better th~m today. Those who have suffered the m ost in the fighting inust share ' in the fruits of renewal. When all enjoy the benefits of peace and know they are di stributed fairly, the frustration that gives rise to violence will give way to faith in the future. " . The United States will help secure the tangible benefits ofpeace. Ours is the firs t administration ever to support . . the International Fund for Ireland. We will continue to encourage trade and investm ent --so communities can lift themselves from the canyon ofdespair. We will do all we can to end the cycle of un employment -- so the children of Northern Ireland have the chance to' make the most oftheir God-given potential: \ [I am pleased to announce that the Cabletel company ofNew York has reached agreemen t to install cable service in Northern Ireland. This $480 million investment will create hundreds ofjobs -- a nd reinforce the economic underpinnings of peace.] America is proud to support Northern Ireland, because you have given America so much . . Protestant and Catholic . are entwined in our nation --and together;they have added to our strength. In our battle for independence and . the struggle to preserve our union, Irish-Americans from both traditions served side -by-side --putting freedom Over faction and patriotism over prejudice. And through the years, they helped buil d our nation --its economy, its institutions, and its democracy. America owes both traditions in Northern Ireland a debt we can never repay. But of all the gifts we can offer, the most precious and inost enduring is the example of what is possible when people find unity in their diversity. We know from our own hard experience that the challenges of living with diversity are r eal. But we also know that at the end of the day, there is more that unites us than divides us. We all cherish family, faith, community, and work. We all strive to live lives that are free, honest, and responsible. . We all want our children to grow up in a world where their talents are matched by 0 . . pportunities. And I know that those values are just as strong in County Londonderry as in Londonderry, New Hampshi ; re --in Belfast, Northern Ireland as in Belfast, Maine. I am proud to be of Ulster stock. I am proud to be of Scots stock. I am proud to b e of Irish stock. I am proud . to be an American. I see no conflict between these traditions. I share them, as do millions of Americans, and we rejoice in "things being various," as Louis MacNeice once wrote. My nation believes that our greatness flows from the wealth of many cultures and the strength pf shared ideals. .'. .. . We are honored and bound tojoin our support to others around the world who seek to bridge their divides. This is an important part of America's mission on the eve of the 21 st century --hel ping other nations mo've from conflict to cooperation ... tum fear into security ... replace hatred with hope. In a world that is ever more . interdependent, our efforts have been good for millions of people around the globe, and good for America as well. F or the chain of peace grows stronger with every new link that is forged. For the f irst time in nearly half a century, Americans can put their children to bed knowing that the nuclear weapons of the former Soviet Union . are no longer pointing in our direction. In South Africa, the long night of aparthe id has given way to a.new day of . freedom. In the Middle East, Arabs and Israelis are stepping beyond the bounds of c onvention and embracing a future of peace. In Haiti,a brutal dictatorship has been replaced by a fragile dem ocracy -- with human rights its . purpose, not its disgrace. Here in Europe, the dream of a stable, undivided contine nt is finally within our reach. . [And the people of Bosnia have the first real hope for peace since the terrible figh ting began four years ago. more ...] The lessons of peace and reconciliation are passed from hand to hand: President Ari stide returned to , . Port-au-Prince inspired by the message of President Mandela: "The time for the heal ing of the wounds has come ... The time to build is upon us." And the tragic loss of our friend Yitzhak Ra . bin has mobilized all who . shared his dreams to finish the work he began. I know that when leaders stand up for peace, they place their fortunes and fates on the line. For just as peace has its .pioneers, it also has its rivals. On every side, there are forces of hatred who seek a return to the past. And this is as true in Northern Ireland as it is in the Middle East. Over the last three years, I have met with unionists and I have met with nationalist s from Northern Ireland. And I believe the greatest struggle you face is not between the parties at opposite ends 0 f the table, but the struggle between the peacemakers and the enemies of peace ... between those who are in the shi p of peace, and those who are trying to sink it. Every citizen of Northern Ireland has a stake in the outcome ofthat struggle. Ever y human being who wants to . . . . build a better world has a stake in the outcome of that struggle. For as President Rabin reminded us only weeks' .' before he died, "·We all love the same children, weep the same tears, hate the same e nmity, and pray for reconciliation." We must not allow the ship of peace to founder on the rocks of ext remism. Those who heed the call for peace must take a firm stand against terror. I say to t hose who would use violence for political objectives: You are the past. Your day is over. You have no place a t the table of democracy and no role in the future of this land. But by the same token, those who take risks for peace must be brought into a politic al process. Those who show ' the courage to break with the past must be given a stake in the future. For as leaders for peace become invested in the process -- making concessions and br aving the backlash -- each , develops an interest in seeing the other side succeed. Whether black or white, Ara b or Israeli, Protestant or . . Catholic -- leaders for peace have more to gain from standing together than from sta nding apart. The sooner they can realize true peace for their people -- with all the rewards it brings -- the soo ner the forces of hatred will be discredited and destroyed.' The United States is proud to support the peacemakers, here in Northern Ireland and. elsewhere around the world. I pledge that we will do all we can to ease your load and to light your way. In tim es ofcrisis, in times of darkness, America will be with you. Those who take risks for peace will never stand alone. We want to help Northern Ireland secure its place in the rising tide of peace around the world. We want to help you move things forward on the basis of consent. But at the end of the day, it is y ou -- the people of Northern Ireland -- who must determine which direction your destiny will go. Only you can de cide between division and . . unity ... between the path of hard lives and the path of high hopes. Only you can cr eate a lasting culture of peace, , where the force of argument is stronger than the argument of force. It takes courage to let go of familiar routines. It takes faith toleave oid ways b ehind. But when we meet the bright gaze of the children among us, when we hear their laughter and hold them in 0 ur arms, we know the risk is worth the reward. I have been touched by thousands of letters from schoolchildren telling me what peac e means to them. One young girl from Ballymena wrote, "It is not easy to forgive and forget, especially fortho se who have lost a family member or a close friend. However, if people could look to the future with hope ins tead of the past with fear, we could only be moving in the right direction.'" I believe' the people of this land. can summon the strength to move forward. You have come so far already. You have braved so many dangers. You have sacrificed so dearly. There can be no tutnin g back. Peace must be, waged with a warrior's resolve: bravely, proudly, relentlessly. But there are no v ictors or vanquished in this' ' struggle. IIi peace, everybody can win. As we stand on the threshold of the 21st century, Northern Ireland has a chance to s tart anew -- to be an inspiration.to the rest of the world ... a model of tolerance and progress. Let us j oin our efforts as never ' before to make that drea:m a reality. Let us j oiri our prayers, in thIs season of pea ce, for a future 'of peace in Northern Ireland, ATTACHMENT FILE 24 November 959:2 DATE, ATTACHMENT FILE NAME XMAS2.DO~ 11/24/95 9 am PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON REMARKS AT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CITY HALL, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND NOVEMBER 30, 1995 \ , Acknowledgments: The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Eric Smyth Ladies and gentlemen, I have been in politics for most of my life. I have run for e lection in my home state of Arkansas and throughout the United States when I sought the Presidency -- and i hav e faced some tough' competition. But never have I confronted challengers with the name recognition, the media savvy; and the' ' martial arts ability of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. To all of you whose suppo rt enabled me to join you " tonight, I extend my heartfelt thanks. It is wonderful to be withall of you tonight and to ,celebrate the season together., I understand the city of Belfast has held a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony for more than 20 years -- but this year the, occasion is especially joyous, because you are entering your second Christmas of peace. Now people can do their holiday shopping without worrying about searches or bombs. They can visit their loved ones on the other side of the border without the burden of checkpoints or roadblocks . They can enjoy the . sparkling lights of the city without fearing the specter of violence. Peace has bro ught real change to people's ' lives. Across the ocean, the American people are rejoicing along with you. Northern Irelan d and the United States are joined by strong ties of community, commerce, and culture. Over the years, men and women.,ofbo,th traditions have flourished in America and helped America to flourish. In this 50th anniversary year of the end of World War II, many Ame~icans still remem her the warmth you showed ' the American Army forces that were stationed here under General Eisenhower. Today i t is'my privilege to ' ' rededicate a plaque laid in 1945, when General Eisenhower returned to Belfast to be named an Honorary Burgess of the city. , General Eisenhower viewed the honor bestowed on him "as a token of our common purpos e t6 work together for " a better world." That mission endures today,'We remain partners for security, part ners for prosperity, and, most ,important; partners for peace .. ' Two years ago, at this very spot, tens of thousands of you took part in a day for pe ace, as a response to some of' " the worst violence Northern Ireland had known in recent years. The two morning news papers, representing both traditions, sponsored a telephone poll for peace that generated almost 160,000 calls -- the equivalent of 25 million ' , calls in the United States. The response left no doubt that across Northern Ireland , the desire for peace was becoming a demand. I am honored to announce today that those same two newspapers --The News Letter and The Irish News --have' established the President's' Prize, an annual award to those at the grassroots level who have contributed most to ' peace and reconciliation. The honorees will travel to the United States to exchange . . expenences on Issues we , share'--such as community relations and conflict resolution. We all have much to I earn from one another. The President's Prize will underscore that Northern Ireland's two traditions have a common interest in peace. It , wiil symbolize the bonds between Northern Ireland and'the United States -- not least that fully one quarter of America's presidents had roots. in this soil. And I hope it will remind us that by c oming together tonight, we have . taken another step toward the peace that can and should be our legacy to the childre n of Northern Ireland and the world this Christmas. As many of you may know, I have received thousands ofletters from schoolchildren fr om all over Northern Ireland, telling me what peace means to them. The letters poured in from villages. a nd cities, from Catholic " . communities and Protestant communities, from mixed schools, primary schools, and sch ools for children with special needs. All of the letters were wonderful -- for their honesty, their matur! . ty, and their passion. . Many of the children showed tremendous pride in their homeland -- in its beauty, and in its true nature. Eleven year-old Keith from Carrickfergus wrote: "Please tell everyone in America that we a re not always fighting here and that it IS only a small number of people who make trouble .... " Like many of the children, Keith did not identify himself as Protestant or Catholic, and did not distinguish between violent forces on either side. So many children told me of loved ones they had lost --of lives disrupted, opportun ities forsaken, and families forced to move. Yet they showed remarkable courage and strength -- and a commitmen t to overcome the past. As 14 year-old Sharon of County Armagh [ar-MAR] wrote, "Both sides have been hurt, b oth sides must forgive." [announce two winners here?] . Despite the extraordinary hardships so many of these children have faced, their lett ers were fun of hope and humor , and love. To all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with me, thank you fo'r bright ening my holiday season with your words of faith and courage. To all of you who asked me to do what I could to help the peace take root, I pledge . America's support. We will continue to stand with those who take risks for peace. We will work with you to giv e all of Northern Ireland's . . children the chance to make the most of their God-given potential. And to 13 year-old Ryan of Belfast, if you're out there: No, an alien spacecraft di d not crash in Roswell, New. Mexico in 1947. And if the U.S. Air Force recovered alien bodies and didn't tell an yone about it, it's .news to me. Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Belfast, friends of my ·country and the American pe ople:May the Christmas spirit ofpeace and goodwill flourish and grow in your land. May the prophecy of Is aiah be realized here:. . " ... ye shall go out with joy and be led forward with peace: The mountains and the h ills shall break forth . before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. II And may the lights on the tree that we celebrate tonight reflect the kindling of hop . e and faith in our hearts for a peaceful Northern Ireland. • I ..-:-.-~u M S M ai I DATE-TIME 28 November 95 16:56 FROM Showalter, Victoria A. CLASSIFICATION uNCLASSIFIED SUBJECT Sorry ... [UNCLASSIFIED] TO Benjamin, Daniel Blinken, Antony 1. CARBON COPY NO CC's on THIS, MESSAGE TEXT BODY Sorry Tony -- I realize looking at the disks that you didn't have my latest Belfast drafts. I am attaching them here; I have already put them on my disk. again, apologies. VS. ,[[ MACKIE6.DOC : 4106 in MACKIE6.DOC ]][[ XMAS3.DOC : 4107 in XMAS3.DOC ]] ATTACHMENT FILE 28 November 95 12:47 DATE ATTACHMENT FILE MACKIE6.DOC NAME 11128(95 1 pm PRESIDENT WILLIAM 1. CLINTON REMARKS AT MACKIE'S PLANT BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND NPVEMBER 30~ 1995 [Acknowledgments] Itis good to be among the people ofNorthern Ireland, who' have 'given so much to Arne rica and the world. One in four of America's Presidents can trace his roots to Ireland's shores -- from Andrew Jackson, the son of immigrants from Carrickfergus, to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, whose forbears came from County Wexford. I may be the latest in this time-honored, tradition ~-but I am the first to make it ba ' ck to Belfas.t. Thank you for a wonderful homecoming. Around the world, the promise of peace is closer today than ever. The barriers and blocs of the Cold War are giving way to a global village, where communication and cooperation are the order of · the day. Conflicts we long thought impossible to solve are moving along the road to resolution. Once bitt er foes are clasping hands and . . . changing history. Ours can be an era of miracles. Today in Northern Ireland, you are making one. Her e in the land of the harp and . fiddle, the fife and the lam beg drum, two proud traditions are coming together in a symphony of peace. The cease-fire and the negotiations have sparked a powerful transformation. Mackie' s plant, where we meet today, is a symbol of Northern Ireland's rebirth. It lies on what is known as the" peace line~' --the wall of steel and stone that separates Protestant from Catholic. But today, with Pat Dougan's lea dership, it is bridging the . · divide. Mackie's has turned the page on past discrimination; fair employment and in tegration are the watchwords of the future. On the shop floor, men and women of both traditions are w orking together to achieve common goals .--to provide a better life for the families they love and to h elp build a prosperous Belfast. Peace has evolved from a distant dream toa difference in every day life. Soldiers have left the streets of Belfast and many have gone home. People can go to the pub or the store without the burden 0 · f a search or the threat of · a bomb. As barriers disappear along the North-South border, families and parishes d ivided for decades are . . becoming whole once more. This year in Armagh [ar-MAH] on St. Patrick's Day, Protestant and Catholic children led the parade together for . the first time since "the troubles" began. A bystander's words marked the wonder of the occasion: "Even the normal is beginning to seem normal." The economic rewards of peace are evident as well. Unemployment has fallen to its I owest level in 14 years, while retail sales and investment are taking off. From the gleaming city center to the ne w shop fronts of West Belfast to . the enterprise center in East Belfast, business is thriving and opportunities are ex · panding. With every day that the· guns are still, business confidence grows stronger --and so does the promise of p'ro sperity; For 25 years, Northern Ireland's beauty was obscured by a shroud of terror. Today, the spirit of peace and. . progress is raising that shroud at last. The castles and coasts ... the Giant's Caus eway ... the lush green hills and . the high white cliffs .are a magical backdrop to your greatest asset: the warmth and wit of your people. Visitors . are coming in record numbers. Today the air-route· between Belfast and London is the second busiest.in Europe. I want to honor those whose courage and vision have brought us to this point. Prime .... Minister Major, Prime ' Minister Bruton, and before him Prime Minister Reynolds, laid the basis for an era 0 f reconciliation. From the Downing Street Declaration to the Joint Framework Document, they altered the course of history with the simple stroke of a pen. Foreign Minister Spring, Sir Patrick Mayhew, David Trimble, and Jo hn Burne have also labored to realize the promise of peace. And· Gerry Adams, along with loyalist leaders such as David Ervine and Gary McMichael, helped t6 silence the guns on the streets. But most of all, America salutes the people of Northern Ireland, who have shown the world that here the will for peace is stronger than the weapons of war. Throughout Northern Ireland, civic and c ommunity'leaders are· , working on the front lines of change. Even before the troubles began, the Corrymeel a Community --: headquartered here in Belfast -- has been building bridges of understanding among pe opleof different traditions. In various counties, inixed_sporting events are encouraging competition on the playil)g field, not the battlefield., Women's support groups, literacy programs, and job training. center s that 'serve both communities are helping people to pull together as they struggle to lift their lives. These and countless other initiatives bolster the foundations of peace. Last year's cease-fire of the Irish Republican Army; joined by the Combined Loyalist Military Command, marked a turning point in Northern Ireland's history. Now is the time to sustain the moment urn and lock in the gains of peace. Neither community wants to go back to the violent days of the past. Both th e parties must do their part to move the process forward. The search for common ground demands the courage of an op~n mind. Only by getting t o know one another can . differences be resolved. [I hope the parties in Northern Ireland can soon sit down together.] Engaging in honest dialogue is not an act of sunender, but of strength. [There also must be progress away from the negotiating table. Violence h'.ls lessened , but it has not disappeared. I share the concern and anger expressed ten days ago by the leaders of the four main c hurches, who condemned the so-called punishment beatings and called for an end to such attacks: As the church leaders said, this is a time "when the utmost efforts on all sides are'needed to build a peaceful and confident c ommunity for the future. "] [And to all who are observing the, cease-fire, I appeal to you to take the next step -- addressing the issue of . decommissioning weapons. For 25 years, the history of this province has been writte n in the blood ofits children. You turned the page on that history. You must not allow it to tum back.] " But true peace will require more than a treaty ... more than an absence of violence. People must hold real hope in ' ) their hearts that tomorrow will be better than today. Those who have suffered the m ost in the fighting must share fairly in the fruits of renewaL The frustration that gave rise to violence must gi ve way to faith in'the future. The United States will help secure the tangible benefits of peace; Ours'is the firs t administration'ever to support the International Fund for Ireland. We will continue to encourage trade and investm ent and to help end the cycle of unemployment. [I am pleased to announce that the Cabletel company of New York has reached, agreemen t to install cable service in Northern Ireland. This $480 million project will create hundreds ofjobs --and reinforce, the economic underpinnings of peace.] America is proud to support Northern Ireland. You have given America so _much: Iris h Protestant and Irish Catholic together have added to our strength. From our battl~ for independence to t he present day, the Irish ' have foughtin our wars and built our nation. We owe you a greatdebt. Of all the gifts we can offer in return, the most precious and most enduring is the example ofwhat is possible " , when people find unity, and strength in their diversity. We know from our own experi ence even today how hard that isto do. But we also know that at the end ofthe day, we are all equal in the eyes of God, with more uniting' than dividing us. We all cherish family, faith, commu~ity, and work.' We all strive to live lives that are free, honest, and responsible. ' We all want our children to grow up in a world where.their talents are matched by 0 pportunities. And I know th"'-t those values are just as strong in County Londonderry as' in Londonderry, New Hampshi . re -- in Belfast, Northern Ireland as in Belfast, Maine. I am proud to be ofUlster-Scots stock. I am proud to beofIrish stock. I share t hese roots with millions of . Americans, and we rejoice in "things being various," as Louis MacNeice once wrote. It is one of the things that makes me proudest to be an American. America's greatness flows from the wealth of many cultures and the strength of share d ideals. We are honored . and bound to join our support to others around the world who seek to bridge their di "ides. . . This is an important part of America's mission on the eve ofthe 21 st century -- hel p,ing other nations move from conflict to cooperation:.. turn fear into security ... replace hatred with hope. In a world that is ever more. .' . . interdependent, our efforts have been good for millions ofpeople, around the globe, and good for America as _ well. The chain ofpeace grows stronger with every new link that is forged. For the first time in nearly half a century, . Americans can put their children to bed knowing that the nuclear weapons ofthe form er Soviet Union are no longer pointing in our direction. In South Africa, the long night of apartheid has given way to a new day of . freedom. In the Middle East; Arabs and Israelis are stepping beyond war to a future ofpeace. In Haiti, a brutal dictatorship has been replaced by a fragile democracy. Here in Europe, the.dream of a stable, undivided, free. continent is finally within our reach. [And the people ofBosnia have the first real hope for peace since the terrible figh ting began four years ago. '. more ... ] As the loss ofour dear friend Yitzhak Rabin reminds us, when leaders stand up for p eace, they place their fortunes . and fates on the line . .For just as peace has its piorieers, it also has it.s rivals. On every side, there are forces of hatred who seek a return to the past. And this is as true in Northern Ireland as it is in the Middle East. . - Over the last three years, I have met with unionists and I have met with nationalist s from Northern Ireland. And I believe the greatest struggle you face is not between the parties at opposite ends 0 f the table, but the struggle between the peacemakers and the enemies of peace... between those who are in the shi p of peace, and those who ' are trying to sink it. Old habits ,die hard. And there will always be those who def ine the worth of their lives by what ,they are against instead of what they are for. Every citizen ofNorthern Ireland has a stake in the outcome of that struggle. So d oes every other human being who wants to build a better world. For as President Rabin reminded us only weeks be fore he died, "We all love the ' same children, weep the same tears, hate the same enmity, and pray for reconCiliatio 'n." We must not allow the ship of peace to founder on the rocks of extremism. Those of you who heed the call for peace must take a firm stand against terror. You must say to those who l would use violence for political objectives: You are th~ past. Your day is over. You have no place at the table of democracy and no role in the future of this land. By the same token, those who renounce violence and take risks for peace must be brou ght into the democratic process. Those who show the courage to break with the past must be given a stake in the future. As leaders for peace become invested in the process --making concessions and bravin g the backlash --each develops an interest in seeing the other side succeed. Whether black or white, Ara b or Israeli, Protestant or Catholic -- leaders for peace have more to gain from standing together than from sta nding apart. The sooner they can realize true peace for their people --with all the rewards it brings --the soo ner the forces of hatred will be discredited and destroyed. The United States is proud to support the peacemakers, here in Northern Ireland and elsewhere around the world. I pledge that we will do all we can to ease your load. You will not walk alone. We want to help Northern Irel,!-nd secure its place in the rising tide of peace around the world ... to find solutions ' , on the basis of consent. But at the end of the day, it is you --the people ofNort hem Ireland --who must determine your destiny. Only you can decide between division and unity ... be'tween t he path of hard lives and ' the path of high hopes. Only you can create a lasting peace, where the force of arg ument is stronger than the argument of force. It takes courage to let go of familiar routines. It takes faith to walk a new road. But when we meet the bright gaze of the children among us, we know the risk is worth the reward. I' I have been touched by thousands of letters from schoolchildren telling me what peac e means to them. One young . girl from Ballymena wrote, "It is not easy to forgive<and forget, especially for tho se who have lost a family member or a close friend. However, if people could iook to the future with hope ins tead of the past with fear, we . . . could only be moving in the right direction." I believe the people of this land can s~mmon the strength to move forward. You have . come so far already . You . have braved so many dangers. You have sacrificed so dearly. Surely there can be no turning back. Peace must . be waged with a warrior's resolve: bravely, proudly, relentlessly ~-secure in the knowledge of the· great . difference between war and peace: In peace, everybody can win. On the threshold of a new century, Northern Ireland has a chance to start anew -- t o be an inspiration to the rest of the world ... a model of tolerance and progress. Let us join our efforts as never . before to make that dream a reality. Let us join our prayers, in this season of peace, for a future of peace in Northern Ireland. ATTACHMENT FILE 28 November 95 11:6 DATE ATTACHMENT FILE NAME XMAS3.DOC 11128/95 llam PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON. REMARKS. AT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CITY HALL, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND NOVEMBER 30, 1995 Acknowledgments: The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Eric Smy,th Ladies and gentlemen, I have run for election many times in my home state of Arkansa s and of course throughout the United States when I sought the Presidency --and I have faced some tough compe tition. But never have I confronted challengers with the name recognition, the media savvy, and the martial a rts ability of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. To all of you whose support enabled me to join you tonight, I extend my heartfelt ' thanks. Itis wonderful to be with all ofyou tonight and to celebrate the season together. ' I understand the city of Belfast has held a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony for more than20 years --but this year the occasion is especially , , joyous, because you are entering yoUr second Christmas ofpeace. Now people can do their holiday shopping without worrying about searches or bombs., They can visit their loved ' ones on the other side of the border without the burden ofcheckpoints or roadblocks . They can enjoy the sparkling lights ofthe city without fearing the specter ofviolence. Peace. has bro ught real change to people's 'li'ves. Across the ocean,the American people are rejoicing along with you. Northern Irelan d and the United States are ' joined by strong ties ofcommunity, commerce, and culture. Over the years, men and women of both traditions ' have flourished in Americaand helped America to flourish. In this 50th anniversary year ofthe end of World War II, many Americans still'remem ber the warmth you showed the American Army forces that were stationed he're under General Eisenhower. Today i t is my privilege to. ' rededicate a monument, first dedicated by General Eisenhower in 1952. The people of Belfast also, named General Eisenhower an Honorary Burgess of the city. General Eisenhower viewed the honor bestowedon him "as a token ofour common purpose to work together ' for a better world." That mission endures today. We remain partners for security, partners for prosperit y, and, most important, ' partners for peace. Two years ago, at this very spot, tens of thousands of you took part in a day for pe ace, as a response to some of the worst violence Northern Ireland had known in recent years. The two morning news paper.s, representing both , , traditions, sponsored a telephone poll for peace that generated almost 160,000 calls --the equivalent of 25 million . ", calls in the ,United States. The response left no doubt that across Northern Ireland , the desire for peace was becoming a.demand. I am honored to announce today that those same two newspapers -- The News Letter and The Irish News -- have established the President's Prize, an annual award to those at the grassroots level' who have contributed, most to \ peace and reconciliation. The honorees will travel to.the United States to exchange . . expenences on Issues we .' . share -- such as community relations and conflict resolution. We all have much to 1 earn from one another: ' The President's Prize will underscore that Northern Ireland's two traditions have a common interest in peace. It will symbolize the bonds between Northern Ireland and the United States -- not least that fully one quarter of . America's presidents had roots in this soil. And I hope it will remind us that by c oming together .tonight, we have taken another step toward the peace that can and should be our legacy to the childre n of Northern Ireland and the world this Christmas. As many of you may know, I have received thousands of letters from schoolchildren fr om all over Northern Ireland, telling me what peace means to them. The letters poured in from villages a nd cities, from Catholic . communities and Protestant communities, from mixed schools, primary schools; and ~ " ools for children with speciarneeds. All of the letters were wonderful -- for their honesty, their simple wisdom, and their passion. . Many of the children showed tremendous pride in their homeland -- in its beauty; and in its true nature. Eleven year-old Keith from Carrickfergus wrote: "Please tell everyone in America that we a re not always fighting here and that it is only a small number of people who make trouble .... " Like many of the children, Keith did not· identify himself as Protestant or Catholic,and did not distinguish between violent forces on either side. So many children'told me of loved ones they had lost --oflives disrupted, opportun ities forsaken, and families .. forced to move. Yet they showed remarkable courage and strength -- and a commitmeri t to overcome the past. As 14 year-old Sharon of County Armagh [ar-MAH] wrote, "Both sides have been hurt, . b . oth sides must forgive." Despite the extraordinary hardships so many ,of these children have faced, their lett ers were full of hope and humor and love. To all of you who took the time to share your thoughts with me, thank you for bright ening my holiday season with' ' your words of faith and courage. To all of you who asked me to do what I could to help the peace take root, I pledge America's .support. We will continue to stand with those who take risks for peace. We will work with you togiv e all of Northern Ireland's ' children the chance, to make the most of their God-:-given potential. And to 13 year-old Ryan of Belfast, if you're out there: No, an alien spacecraft di d not crash in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. And if the U.S. Air Force recovered alien bodies and didn't tell an yone about it, it's news to me. Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of Belfast, friends of my country and the American pe ople: May the Christmas spirit ofpeace and goodwill flourish and grow in your land. May we "Lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, ,both sure and steadfast~" (Hebrews 6: 1 8b-J 9) And may the lights on the tree that we celebrate tonight reflect the kindling of fai th and resolve in our hearts for a peaceful Northern Ireland. ### Alternate BibJe quote/end: May the prophecy ofIsaiah be realized here: "...ye 'shall go out with joy. and be Ie d forward with peace: The ' mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." And may the lights on the tree that we celebrate tonight reflect the kindling of hop e and faith in our hearts for a ' peaceful Northern Ireland. C1ick to go to the first hit in the document. -~.-------,-----------..-.--~--.------ --_.,--------­ M SMa i I DATE-TIME 30 November 95 18:57 FROM Wozniak, Natalie S. . CLASSIFICATION **~***** CLASSIFICATION NOT FOUND ******** SUBJECT Belfast: RBTP and FL at Lighting of City Christmas Tree TO CARBON COpy NO CC's on THIS MESSAGE TEXT BODY ,[[ TREELITE.DOC : 4915 in TREELITE.DOC ]] NSC Press Release ATTACHMENT FILE DATE 30 November 95 18:56 ATTACHMENT FILE NAME TREELITE.DOC THE WHITEHOUSE Office of the Press Secretary (Belfast, Northern Ireland) For Immediate Release November 30, 199,5 ;', REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT' ;, ',' AND THE FIRST LADY r,\,,:\';:~~i~i~~sHJi~~ OF THE CITY . ." ,-," ':'/:,,'Benast City Hall r" l?Hfast, Northern Ireland , , ;1',,::/~~'~! : I ' I I . I I " . i I' , • , I I I 7:36 P.M. (L) MRS. CLINTON: Thank you very much, Lord Mayo~. And thank all of you. (Applause.) Tonight is a night filled with hope and peace. And for those ofus gathered here throughout Northern Ireland and around the world, often it is our children who 'offer us the clearest and purest reasons why peace and why this peace process is so important. In a national competition, asking students to share their hopes for a peaceful Northern Ireland in letters to my husband, two students whom you see here tonight, Cathy Harte and Mark Lennox won the top prize. We will be privilege to have them in America at summer camp this coming summer. Tonight it is my privilege to read excerpts from their letters. This is what Cathy said: "My name is Cathy Harte and I am a 12-year-old Catholic girl. I live in Belfast in Northern Ireland, and I love it here. It's green, it's beautiful, and, well, it's Ireland." (Applause.) "All my life; I have only known guns and bombs with people fighting. Now, it is different. There are no guns and bombs." Cathy continues: "My dreams for the future, well, I have '~ lot ofthem. Hopefully, the peace will be permanent; that one day Catholics and Protestants will be able to walk hand-in-hand and will be aqle to live in the same areas." (Applause.) "Catholics, Protestants, black or white, itis the person inside that counts." (Applause.) "What I hope," said Ca.thy, "is that when I have my own children that there will still be peace and that Belfast will be a peaceful place from now on." Thank you, Cathy. (Applause;) Mark Lennox is the same age as our daughter, 15. And he . -, ,. explains in his letter the simple hows ofachieving peace. And this is what he says: ','I am a 15-year:-old schoolboy from Glengormley. High School. I am very pleased about the chance of permanent peace in Northern Ireland and the chances of living in a secure atmosphere. "If Northern Ireland is to have a future, then we' must all learn to live with each other in a more tolerant way. Also, we must all work hard for peace and make a.real effort. We will have to change our ideas and work for change. Change must mean changing our own understanding ofeach other. We must learn together and know more about our different traditions. " _ Some people want to destroy peace and the peace process in Northern Ireland." And Mark says, "We must not allow this to happen." (Applause.) , As the Lord Mayor said, in a moment the Christmas tree will be lit as Christmas trees will be lit all over the world in the days to come. This Christmas let us remember the reason behind why we light Christmas trees. Let us remember the reason for this ' great holiday celebration. And let us remember that we seek peace most of all for our children. May this be one of many, many happy and peaceful Christmases in Northern Ireland this year and formany 'years to come. (Applause.) And may God keep you and bless you and hold all of you in the palm ofHis hand. Thank you and God bless' ' you. (Applause.) LORD MAYOR: Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have a duty to do tonight. And that is we're going to ask the President to turn the lights on. But you and I have something to do. We have to count down, 10 down to zero. So we want the count, 10; 9 -- slowly' please, so that when the President gets ready I'll give you the okay and then we will have the countdown. (The Christmas tree is lit.) THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. (Applause.) To the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, let me begin by saying to all ofyou, Hillary and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making us feel so very, very welcome in Belfast and Northern Ireland. (Applause.) We thank you, Lord Mayor, for your cooperation and ,yourhelp in making this trip so successful, and we trust that, for all ofyou, we haven't inconvenienced you too much. Blit this has been a wonderful way for us to begin the Christmas holidays .. (Applause.) , . Let me also say I understood just what an honor it was, to be able to turn on this Christmas tree when I realized the ' , competition. (Laughter.) Now, to become President ofthe United . States you have to undertake some considerable competition. But I have never,confronted challengers with the name recognition, the understanding of the media and the ability in the martial arts of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. (Applause;) Tolall of you whose support enabled me to join you tonight and turn the Christmas tree on, I give you my heartfelt thanks. ' (Applause.) I know here in Belfast you've been lighting the Christmas treefor more than 20 years. But this year must be , . especially joyous to you, for you are entering your second Christmas of peace. (Applause.) . , I L> ·f As I look down these beautiful streets, I think hqw wonderful it will be for people to do their holiday shopping without worry of searches or bombs; to visit loved ones on the other side of the border without the burden of checkpoints or roadblocks; to enjoy these magnificent Christmas lights without any fear of violence. Peace has brought real change to your lives. Across the ocean, the American people are rejoicing with you. We are joined to you by strong ties of community and commerce and culture. Over the years men and women of both traditions have flourished in our country and helped America to flourish . . And today, of course, we are forging new and special bonds. Belfast's sister city in the United States, Nashville, Tennessee, was proud to send ,this Christmas tree to friends across the Atlantic. I want to thank the most prominent present resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Vice President Al Gore, the Mayor, Phil Bredesen, and the United States' Air Force for getting this big tree all the way across the Atlantic to be here with you tonight. (Applause.) In this 50th anniversary year of the end of World War II, many Americans still remember the warmth the people of Northern Ireland showed them when the army was stationed here under General Eisenhower. The people of Belfast nal1'l:ed General Eisenhower an honorary burgess of the city. He viewed that honor, and I quote, "as ,a token ofourcommon purpose to work together for a better world." That mission endures today. We remain Americans and as people ofNorthern Ireland, partners for security, partners for prosperity apd, most important, partners 'for peace. (Applause.) , Two years ago, at this very spot, tens of thousands. of you took part in a day for peace, as a response to some of the worst violence Northern Ireland had known in r(:cent years. The two morning papers, representing both traditions, sponsored atelephone poll for peace that generated almost 160,000 calls. In the United States, for my fellow Americans who are here, that would be the equivalent of25 million calls. The response left no doubt that'all across Northern Ireland the desire for peace was be~oming a demand. I am honored to annoUnce today that those same two newspapers, th'e Newsletter and the Irish News, have established the President's Prize, an annual award to those at the grass-roots level who have contributed most to peace and reconciliation. The honorees will travel to the' United States to exchange experiences on the issues we share, ' including community relations and conflict resolution. We have a lot to learn from on another. The President's Prize will underscore that Northern Ireland's two traditions have a common interest in peace. / ,t As you know --and as the, First Lady said -- I have received thousands of letters from school children all over your remarkable land telling me what peace means to them. They poured in from, villages and cities, from Catholic and Protestant communities, from, mixed schools, primary schools" from schools for children with special needs. All the letters in their own way were truly wonderful for their honesty, their simple wisdom and their passion. Many of the children showed tremendous pride in their homeland, in its beauty and its true nature. I congratulate the winners. They were wonderful and I loved hearing their letters. But let me tell you about another couple I received. Eleven­ year-old Keith from Carrickfergus wrote: "Please tell everyone in America that we're not always fighting here, and that it's only a small number of people who make the trouble."Like many ofthe ' children, Keith did not identifY himself as Protestanfor Catholic, and did not distinguish between the sources ofthe violence. So many children told me of loved ones they have lost, of lives disrupted and opportunities forsaken and families forced to move. Yet, they showed remarkable courage and strength and a commitment to overcome the past. As 14-year-old Sharon of County Armagh wrote: "Both sides have been hurt. Both sides must forgive." Despite the extraordinary hardships so many of these children have faced, their letters were full of hope and love and humor. To all of you who took the time to write me, you've brightened my holiday season' with your words offaith and courage, and I thank you. To all ofyou who asked me to do what I could to help peace take root, I pledge you America's support. We will stand with you as you take risks for peace~ (Applause.)' And to all ofyou who have not lost your sense of humor, I say thank you. I got a letter from 13-year-old Ryan from Belfast. Now, Ryan, if you're out in the crowd tonight, here,'s the answer to your question. No, as far as I know, an alien spacecraft did not crash in « Roswe.ll» , New Mexico, in« 1947» . (Laughter.) And, Ryan, if the United States Air Force did recover alien bodies, they didn't tell me about it, either, and I want to know. (Applause.). Ladies and gentlemen, this day that Hillary and I have had' here in Belfast and in Derry and Londonderry County will long be with us --(applause). --as one ofthe most remarkable days ofour lives. I leave you with these thoughts. May the Christmas spirit ofpeace and goodwill flourish and grow in you. May you remember the words of the Lord Mayor: "This is Christmas. We celebrate the world in a new way because of the birth ofEmmanuel; God with us." And when God was with us, he said no words more important than these: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall inherit the Earth." (Applause.)' Merry Christmas, and God bless you all. (Applause.) END 7:53 P.M.',CL) ©1997-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights o Learn more about Microsoft Windows 2000! ,reserved. ilial Notices. .