THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Omaha, Nebraska)
___________________________________________________________________________
___
For Immediate Release
December 8, 2000
Fact Sheet
A Foreign Policy for the Global Age
Today, at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, President Clinton spoke
about the role America has played in the world during the last several
years, the principles that have guided the Administration?s foreign policy
and the path we should take in the future.
The broad outlines of a foreign policy for the global age are reflected in
the principles that have guided the Clinton Administration?s foreign policy
over the past eight years.
1. OUR ALLIANCES WITH EUROPE AND ASIA ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY, BUT THEY MUST BE CONSTANTLY ADAPTED TO MEET EMERGING CHALLENGES.
These core alliances are today stronger and arguably more durable because
they are organized to advance a permanent set of shared interests, rather
than to defeat a single threat. President Clinton broke new ground in 1993
by welcoming our European and Asian allies? desire to play a more
responsible role while maintaining our troops and adapting our alliances in
both regions.
Working for a Peaceful, Democratic, Undivided Europe
? Revitalized, adapted and expanded NATO from a static Cold War alliance
to a magnet for new democracies, with new partners, members and missions;
adapted its command structure; admitted Hungary, Poland and the Czech
Republic; created Partnership for Peace.
? Led NATO in its first military engagement and stopped the killing in
Bosnia. The peace we brokered in Dayton has been sustained, a civil
society complete with active opposition parties and non-governmental
organizations is taking root, and national and local elections have taken
place throughout the country.
? Took military action in Kosovo to stop ethnic cleansing and regional
instability. Forced withdrawal of Serb forces and deployed an
international presence in Kosovo-- with a 47,000 strong NATO-led force
providing security for the province. Achieved the safe and unconditional
return of over 900,000 refugees, disbanded the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Adapting and Upholding our Alliance with Asia
? Updated our strategic alliance with Japan through adoption of the
Defense Guidelines and Joint Security Declaration to define how to respond
together to post-Cold War threats.
? Reduced the North Korean threat through deterrence, diplomacy.
Negotiated the October 1994 Framework Agreement to freeze and dismantle
North Korea?s dangerous nuclear weapons fuel production and a moratorium on
long-range missile testing in 1999.
? Strengthened cooperation with South Korea to move forward to engage
North Korea. Jointly engaged in Four Party Talks and established
Trilateral Group (the United States, Japan and South Korea) to coordinate
North Korea policy which helped create the conditions for an eventual
North-South dialogue.
2. PEACE AND SECURITY FOR THE UNITED STATES DEPENDS ON BUILDING
PRINCIPLED, CONSTRUCTIVE, CLEAR-EYED RELATIONS WITH OUR FORMER ADVERSARIES.
We must continue to be mindful of threats to the peace while maximizing the
chances that both nations evolve internally toward greater democracy,
stability and prosperity. To achieve both goals, we must continue to
seize on the desire of both Russia and China to participate in the global
economy and global institutions, insisting they accept the obligations as
well as the benefits of integration.
Building on Our Relationship with Russia
? Negotiated the exit of Russian troops from the Baltics, brought
Russian troops into NATO missions in the Balkans and won Russia?s active
support for a just end to the Kosovo war.
? Brought Russia into the G-8, APEC, into a relationships with NATO and
international financial institutions.
? Reduced the nuclear danger. Deactivated/dismantled over 1,700 nuclear
warheads, 300 missile launchers, 425 ICBM and SLBMs; strengthened security
and accounting of nuclear materials; purchased 500 metric tons of
weapons-grade uranium; reached agreement for the safe, transparent and
irreversible destruction of 68 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium.
? Supported economic reform and the creation of a market economy. Over
250,000 Russian entrepreneurs have received U.S. training, consulting
services or loans. Today 70% of the Russian economy is in private hands.
Building on Our Relationship with China
? Helped maintain peace in the Taiwan Straits and worked with China to
maintain stability on Korean Peninsula.
? Brought China into global non-proliferation regimes ? Chemical Weapons
Convention, CTBT and Biological Weapons Convention.
? Negotiated terms for China?s entry into the World Trade Organization,
with Permanent Normal Trade Relations. Most constructive breakthrough in
U.S.-China relations since normalization in 1979 ? will entangle China more
deeply in a rules-based international system and change China internally.
3. LOCAL CONFLICTS CAN HAVE GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES. THE PURPOSE OF
PEACEMAKING, WHETHER BY DIPLOMACY OR FORCE, MUST BE TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS
BEFORE THEY ESCALATE AND HARM OUR VITAL INTERESTS. In a global age,
arguments for peacemaking are even stronger: to defuse conflicts before
they escalate and harm our interests. America?s dominant power is more
likely to be accepted if it is harnessed to the cause of peace.
? Middle East: Brought parties together at Camp David for first high
level discussions of all permanent status issues. Helped forge agreements
that led to the Declaration of Principles in September 1993 and the Interim
Agreement on Palestinian self-rule in September 1995. Brokered the Wye
agreement in October 1998, revitalizing the peace process after years of
stagnation. Helped broker the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum in September 1999,
and the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel in October 1994.
? Balkans: Stabilizing Southeast Europe by ending a decade of repression
and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Led NATO alliance to victory in air
campaign and ushering in international peacekeepers. Launched the
Stability Pact to strengthen democracy, economic development and security
throughout the region, and accelerating its integration with the rest of
Europe and freeing Europe from a permanent refugee crisis and source of
conflict.
? Greece and Turkey: Encouraged Greek-Turkish rapprochement. Strongly
supported Turkey?s EU candidacy. Restarted talks toward a comprehensive
settlement on Cyprus.
? India and Pakistan: Helped them move from the brink of what might
have been a catastrophic war in July 1999.
? Northern Ireland: Helped broker the Good Friday Peace Accord, ending
decades of bloodshed and empowering the people of Northern Ireland to
determine their future.
? Peru and Ecuador: Worked with other regional governments to halt the
1995 border war between Peru and Ecuador.
? Eritrea and Ethiopia: Worked with Organization of African Unity to
broker a cease fire and negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement.
4. NOT ALL OLD THREATS HAVE DISAPPEARED, BUT NEW DANGERS, ACCENTUATED BY
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND THE PERMEABILITY FO BORDERS, REQUIRE NEW
NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITIES. One of the biggest changes we have brought
about in the way America relates to the world has been the change in what
we consider important. The Clinton Administration has defined a new
security agenda that addresses contemporary threats ? nonproliferation,
terrorism, international crime, infectious disease, environmental damage.
? Nonproliferation: Permanently eliminated nuclear weapons and their
delivery vehicles from Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Signed the
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and achieved the indefinite extension
of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and ratification of the Chemical Weapons
Convention.
? Terrorism: Developed a national counter-terrorism strategy, led by a
national coordinator. Brought perpetrators of World Trade Center bombing
and CIA killings to justice. Prevented planned attacks against Millennium
celebrations.
? Cyber Security: Developed first national strategy to protect critical
infrastructure, bringing together private sector and government. Increased
funding on critical infrastructure protection by over 40% since 1998.
? Chemical and Biological Weapons: Strengthened international support
for and adherence to CWC/BWC. Equipped and trained first responders in 120
largest metro areas.
? Environment: Brought climate change issues into the mainstream of our
foreign policy. Negotiated Kyoto protocol in 1997 to establish a strong,
realistic framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in environmentally
strong and economically sound way.
? Infectious Disease: Made the international fight against deadly
infectious diseases a national security priority. Introduced issue to the
U.S.-EU Summit, the U.N. Millennium Assembly, and the G-8 Summit in Okinawa
and mobilized billions from our international partners. More than doubled
foreign assistance for HIV/AIDS. Working to accelerate the development of
vaccines for AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and other major disease threats
through the President?s Millennium Vaccine Initiative.
? International Crime: Intensified interdiction efforts, cracking down
on drug lords and providing $1.6 billion in assistance for Colombia.
Combating trafficking in persons, especially women and children, with an
integrated strategy that focuses on prevention, prosecution of traffickers
and protection of and assistance to victims.
5. ECONOMIC INTEGRATION ADVANCES BOTH OUR INTERESTS AND OUR VALUES, BUT
ALSO ACCENTUATES THE NEED TO ALLEVIATE ECONOMIC DISPARITY. As the first
president who has understood the connections of the global economy and its
connection to our prosperity, President Clinton has led the United States
toward its greatest expansion in world trade in history ? from $4 to $6.6
trillion a year, opened markets for U.S. exports abroad and created
American jobs through nearly 300 other free and fair trade agreements,
contributing to the longest economic expansion in our history.
? Completed the Uruguay Round of the GATT negotiations and created the
WTO to reduce tariffs, settle trade disputes and enforce rules.
? Ratified the North America Free Trade Association, cementing strategic
trade relationships with our immediate neighbors. U.S. exports to Mexico
grew 109% from 1993 to 1999, compared with growth to the rest of the world
of 49%.
? Strong U.S. growth and maintenance of open markets was in no small
measure responsible for the recovery of the Asian economy which again is
fueling global growth.
? Helped rescue Mexico?s economy with $20 billion in emergency support
loans that were repaid in full with interest.
? Supported the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative at the G-7
Summit in Cologne in June 1999, to provide deeper multilateral debt
reduction for poor countries with unsustainable debt burdens.
? Won approval of PNTR with China, integrate China into the world
economy through entry into the WTO, open Chinese market to U.S. exports,
slash Chinese tariffs and protect American workers and companies against
dumping.
? Won approval of the Caribbean Basin Initiative enhancement legislation
to promote economic prosperity in Central America and the Caribbean.
? Won approval for African Growth and Opportunity Act to support
increased trade and investment between the United States and Africa,
strengthen African economies and democratic governments, increase
partnerships to counter terrorism, crime, environmental degradation and
disease.
# # #
President and First Lady | Vice President and Mrs. Gore
Record of Progress | The Briefing Room
Gateway to Government | Contacting the White House | White House for Kids
White House History | White House Tours | Help
Privacy Statement