ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:96022102.WWE
DATE:02/21/96
TITLE:21-02-96  TEXT: WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON CLINTON AND SOLANA MEETING

TEXT:
(Clinton and Solana Discuss European Issues) (490)

Washington -- President Clinton met with NATO Secretary General Javier
Solana to review the current NATO IFOR (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization Implementation Force) mission in Bosnia. Both expressed
satisfaction over the mission proceedings and said they plan to
discuss enlargement for the Partnership for Peace and NATO.

The president stressed the importance of moving forward with the
second phase of the enlargement process. The two leaders noted that
NATO would review the progress on enlargement at the December meeting
of Alliance foreign ministers in Brussels.

Both Clinton and Solana stressed the importance of full Russian
participation in European security affairs and reaffirmed their
support for establishing a genuinely substantive NATO-Russia
partnership.

They also expressed concern over the recent increase in tensions
between NATO Allies Greece and Turkey and pledged to continue their
efforts to encourage the two sides to resolve their differences
peacefully.

Following is the text of the press secretary's statement released by
the White House:

(Begin text)

The president met today with NATO Secretary General Javier Solana to
discuss a broad range of Alliance and European security issues. The
president congratulated the secretary general on his performance
during his first two months in office and reiterated the strong and
enduring U.S. commitment to the NATO Alliance.

The two leaders reviewed the current NATO IFOR mission in Bosnia and
expressed satisfaction that the operation is proceeding as planned.
They also discussed the Partnership for Peace and NATO enlargement and
expressed their support for continued steady, deliberate progress
toward enlargement, in accordance with NATO's plans. The president
stressed the importance of moving forward with the second phase of the
enlargement process involving intensive consultations between NATO and
aspiring members aimed at helping the latter prepare for possible
membership. The two leaders noted that NATO would review progress on
enlargement at the December meeting of Alliance foreign ministers in
Brussels and decide on the way forward.

The president and the secretary general also discussed NATO relations
with Russia. They agreed on the importance of full Russian
participation in European security affairs and reaffirmed their
support for establishing a genuinely substantive NATO-Russia
partnership. The president stressed that NATO enlargement was not
aimed at Russia, but designed to end the Cold War division of Europe
and help lock in democratic and market economic reforms in the
emerging new democracies.

The president and the secretary general reviewed recent internal
developments at NATO, including the French decision to rejoin a number
of NATO military bodies. They welcomed this development and looked
forward to NATO efforts to build a distinct European defense identity
within NATO, as part of the Alliance's efforts to adapt to the
challenges of post-Cold War Europe. The two leaders also expressed
concern over the recent increase in tensions between NATO Allies
Greece and Turkey and pledged to continue their efforts to encourage
the two sides to resolve their differences peacefully.

(End text)
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