Bill Clinton: “President Scalfaro, Mariana Scalfaro, members of the Italian delegation, distinguished guests: On behalf of the American…”

“President Scalfaro, Mariana Scalfaro, members of the Italian delegation, distinguished guests: On behalf of the American people, I am delighted to welcome President Scalfaro to the United States. It is an honor to return the gracious hospitality the people of Italy showed to Hillary and me in Rome and Naples in 1994. America and Italy are joined by friendship, family, and values. Our Founding Fathers drew inspiration from the thinkers of ancient Rome to build a new republic based on laws and rooted in liberty and justice. Thomas Jefferson was moved by the ideas of his friend Filippo Mazzei to write the immortal phrase, ``All men are created equal.'' Constantino Brumidi, an artist from Rome, labored for 25 years on the frescoes that adorn our Nation's Capital. Generations of Italian-Americans have contributed beyond measure to America's greatness, enriching our Nation's character with their spirit and the strength of their heritage. America and Italy stood together for half a century to safeguard Europe's freedom and advance our common ideals. Now with the end of the cold war, the United States looks to Italy as a valued partner more than ever, from keeping the peace in troubled regions to building an undivided Europe. Earlier this year I visited Aviano Air Base, where the United States and Italy work together to contain the conflict in Bosnia and provide a lifeline to the Bosnian people. Now we are joined in a common support of the peace that is taking hold in Bosnia.…”