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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release June 15, 2000

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

The historic summit between President Kim Dae-Jung and Chairman Kim Chong-il marks an initial, hopeful step toward peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula. I welcome the agreements the two leaders reached on humanitarian and economic cooperation and on a future summit in Seoul, and hope that both sides will continue down this promising path. I applaud Kim Dae-Jung's persistence and wisdom as he has moved, soberly and realistically, to improve relations with the North. President Kim and I have consulted very closely on this issue, and I look forward to supporting his future initiatives toward lasting peace and full reconciliation.

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