THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary (Moscow, Russia) _________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release January 13, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PRESIDENT YELTSIN IN OFFICIAL GREETING CEREMONY St. George's Hall The Kremlin Moscow, Russia
9:16 A.M. (L)
PRESIDENT YELTSIN: Mr. President of the United States of America, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you as a most honored guest of the Russian Federation. You begin this day's official business in the famous and legendary Georgian Room of the Grand Kremlin Palace, which has names of some of Russia's best sons inscribed on its walls. And I believe that this is a good omen for the coming discussions that we're going to have.
I very well remember the first meeting that we had in Vancouver where we laid the foundations for U.S.-Russia partnership and also for our personal rapport and friendship. And I believe that we have every reason to think that the coming discussions will be even more profound, more practical and more sweeping in nature.
I also believe that you will take back from your visit to Russia a very good memory. And I'm sure that as you meet people here, they will also remember you very well and your stay here. So, Mr. President, welcome to Russia. Welcome to Moscow.
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Thank you. Well, Mr. President, I am delighted to see you again and deeply honored to be in this magnificent hall, which is a great testimony to the rich history, the leadership and the greatness of your nation -- the greatness that has been demonstrated again by the remarkable changes over which you have presided in the last two years.
I have just come from a set of historic meetings that we'll have a chance to talk about, meetings which make it clear that Russia and the United States must work together to build a new future for Europe on which a new future for our entire world depends.
I believe that together we can work to lead a new security for Europe based on democratic values, free economies, the respect for nations for one another. We will be discussing the specific things we can do to keep the economic reform going in Russia and to help the Russian people to realize the benefits of the courageous changes that have been going on; to use the Partnership For Peace to develop mutual security all across Europe and for the first time in all of history to have a Europe that is not divided by an artificial line between peoples; and to work toward the historic agreement that you and I will sign with President Kravchuk on Friday to make the world a safer place with fewer nuclear weapons.
These are the ways in which, under your leadership, your nation is defining its greatness. And I am very pleased to be here to work on these things with you. (Applause.)
END9:21 A.M. (L)