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USIA - Text: Burns Statement On U.S.-EU Summit, 96-12-13
From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>
TEXT: BURNS STATEMENT ON U.S.-EU SUMMIT SET FOR DECEMBER 16
(Christopher, Spero, Tarnoff, Wayne attend from State) (520)
Washington -- State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns says Secretary of
State Christopher, Under Secretary Joan Spero, Under Secretary Peter
Tarnoff and Deputy Assistant Secretary Anthony Wayne will attend the semi-
annual U.S.-EU Summit at the White House December 16.
President Clinton will host Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, the current
president of the European Council, and European Commission President
Jacques Santer at the White House.
"President Clinton," Burns said in a written statement, "values the
opportunity to meet with top officials of the EU every six months as a
means of continuing the steady deepening of relations between the United
States and the European Union. At the President's initiative, the United
States and the 15 member EU have intensified their cooperation on an
increasing number of issues."
Following is the State Department text:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 13, 1996
STATEMENT BY NICHOLAS BURNS, SPOKESMAN
On Monday December 16, President Clinton will host Irish Prime Minister
John Bruton, the current president of the European Council, and European
Commission President Jacques Santer at the White House for the semi-annual
U.S.-EU summit.
Secretary Christopher, Under Secretary Joan Spero, Under Secretary Peter
Tarnoff and Deputy Assistant Secretary Anthony Wayne will attend from the
State Department.
President Clinton values the opportunity to meet with top officials of the
EU every six months as a means of continuing the steady deepening of
relations between the United States and the European Union. At the
President's initiative, the United States and the 15 member EU have
intensified their cooperation on an increasing number of issues.
This summit will include a review of progress in implementation of the New
Transatlantic Agenda, signed in Madrid in December, 1995, which is the
foundation for the new sort of cooperation being built between the United
States and the EU. Important issues on the agenda will include efforts to
facilitate trade globally and in the transatlantic market, collaboration in
the fight against drugs, means to improve the effectiveness of economic
assistance programs, economic reconstruction in Bosnia and mutual efforts
to support the growth of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. The
summit will also be an opportunity to discuss a number of other common
diplomatic concerns, including Cuba, Middle East peace process, Turkey and
China.
This meeting caps an intense round of diplomatic activity which has put in
place the foundations for building the new transatlantic community set
forth by President Clinton in his speech at Brussels City Hall in January
1994. Building lasting peace in Europe will require the integration of
efforts of all European and Atlantic institutions. The European Union will
play an essential role in extending the values of the Atlantic Community to
all parts of Europe. Following upon the successful meetings of the OSCE and
NATO, enhancing U.S.-EU cooperation can ensure that the vision of an
Atlantic partnership extends throughout Europe.
(end text)
From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov
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