Bill Clinton: “To my fellow leaders of the APEC nations and distinguished guests, we gather here tonight in Washington State at an…”

“To my fellow leaders of the APEC nations and distinguished guests, we gather here tonight in Washington State at an historic moment. At least two other times during this century a great global struggle has ended and a new era has dawned. That has happened again today. It falls to each of us, as it fell to leaders then, to imagine and to build a new future for our people. I deeply appreciate the willingness that each of you has shown to make the long trip here to be together today. I want to express my appreciation for the warm hospitality of the people and the elected officials of this beautiful city of Seattle in the Evergreen State of Washington. All of us in the Asian Pacific live as neighbors in a region that has long been characterized by both its commerce and its conflicts. The question for our future is whether we can reap the bounty of the Pacific without bringing its storms. There are vast differences among our economies and our people; yet these can be a great source of enrichment. I hear the complex music of our many differing languages, and I know that in each of them our words for work, for opportunity, for children, for hope carry the same meaning. I see the roots of our many ancient civilizations, whether Confucian or Islamic or Judeo-Christian. I know there is much we can learn from each other's rich and proud cultures.…”