Bill Clinton: “Good afternoon. Secretary-General and your distinguished staff, Mr. Vice President, Madam Secretary. The President of…”

“Good afternoon. Secretary-General and your distinguished staff, Mr. Vice President, Madam Secretary. The President of the United States must exercise the leadership of our country for peace and freedom, for security and prosperity in the world. When we must, we will act alone. But when we can, we must work with others to spread the cost and the risks of engagement and to make our own leadership more effective. The United Nations is critical in advancing the progress and peace of the world. It vaccinates children against disease, helps refugees to stay safe and go home, teaches farmers how to grow good crops, guards against the spread of nuclear weapons. And from Angola to the Middle East, U.N. peacekeepers are giving diplomacy a chance to work and peace a chance to take hold. That is the kind of burden-sharing we need to seize the promise and meet the perils of a world growing ever closer together. That's why last year I believed so strongly that the United Nations needed new leadership, a Secretary-General who could rebuild the institution to take on the challenges of the future. I am very pleased that the U.N. chose Kofi Annan for the job. He is a man who shares that vision and is clearly prepared to act, an experienced diplomat, a proven reformer, a man committed to a revitalized United Nations, one that upholds its timeless mission but that adapts to new times. We had a good discussion. We talked about the need to put the U.N. back on sound financial footing. That will demand far-reaching reform, the elimination of waste, streamlining staff, wiping out overlap and abuse. The Secretary-General and I agree that the U.N. must pursue this course of reform. It's clear to me that he is prepared and determined to get the job done. As the U.N. moves to reform, it must know also that the United States is prepared to pay its way. In the weeks ahead, I will be working with Congress to reach an agreement through which America can pay our arrears to the U.N., meet our obligations, and continue to spur real progress. We cannot expect to lead through the United Nations unless we are prepared to pay our own way and to pay what we owe as they do what they should along the path of reform. As long as the United States does its part--as long as the United Nations does its part, we simply have to be prepared to pay our debts and to pay our dues. Today we are proud as Americans to stand as the indispensable nation, the world's leading force for peace and freedom and security and prosperity. But we cannot sustain our leadership or, more importantly, our goals for a better world, alone. And we cannot sustain it by words alone. Our well-being at home depends upon our engagement around the world. We have to have the resources to meet that challenge and to assume the responsibilities of leadership. Meeting our commitment to the United Nations is a crucial part of that task, and I might say also, on Secretary Albright's first day in office, adequately funding our foreign policy operations through the State Department and our other diplomatic missions is also a critical part of that task. I'm very encouraged that the Secretary-General will be meeting with congressional leaders during his visit here to Washington. I look forward to working with the Congress and with the Secretary-General to renew the United Nations for the century ahead, and I'm very glad that he is the first leader that I have met with after my Inauguration. Mr. Secretary-General, would you like to say a few words? Welcome to Washington. [At this point, Secretary-General Annan made brief remarks.]”