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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 3, 1997

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Resignation of Ambassador Molly Raiser

It is with great sadness that I accepted today Ambassador Molly Raiser's resignation as Chief of Protocol, effective July 24. But it is with even greater thanks and pride that I look back upon her years of service and the extraordinary job she has done to ensure effective American engagement in the world.

No one knows better than Ambassador Raiser the amount of planning and the attention to detail that goes into our nation's foreign policy. And no one has done more to make the conduct of that policy professional, precise and smooth. From the war-torn streets of Sarajevo to Denver's gleaming city center, Ambassador Raiser brought elegance and energy to the business of foreign affairs, and set a standard for all who worked with her. She made foreign guests feel welcome when they visited the United States -- and helped me feel at home whenever I traveled abroad. She represented me, and the interests of our nation, with insight, judgment and grace.

I extend Ambassador Raiser my warmest thanks for a job well done, and wish her every possible success in all her future endeavors.

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