Remarks to the People of Ljubljana

Thank you, Thank you. Dober dan! You have certainly provided for me a welcome to Slovenia I will never forget.

Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mayor Potocnik; to the young lady who introduced me, Irena Majcen; and to your famous Olympian Leon Stukelj; and to all the people of Slovenia, thank you very much.

I would also like to thank the Big Band of RTV for playing my national anthem and yours. Let's give the band a hand, there. [Applause]

I have wanted to visit your country for a long time. The whole world admires Slovenia's success in building freedom and prosperity, and now we look to you to play a crucial role as we build a better future for all of Europe. Your great Olympic champion Leon Stukelj has now lived 100 years. He has lived throughout this century, the bloodiest and most turbulent in history, from the collapse of Austria-Hungary to the first Yugoslav State, from fascist invaders to Soviet forces to Tito's Yugoslavia. Think how many armies have marched through this square, how many flags have been raised over your city.

Now, at last, the flag flying in this capital stands for independence and democracy and the better life you are building. Congratulations, and God bless you.

All over the world, people seek the same kind of freedom and justice and peace that you have brought here—from Northern Ireland to the Middle East, to southern Africa, and in central and southeastern Europe. But we know these gains are fragile, for freedom's enemies hope for our failure. Therefore, we must keep moving forward to deepen democracy and widen opportunity, to build genuine communities and lasting peace.

To succeed, we must begin with a simple truth: Racial and religious hatred has no place in a civilized society. That is why free nations stood against Mr. Milosevic's ethnic cleansing and killing in Kosovo. Now the Serb forces have left, the international security forces are moving in, and the Kosovars are going home. This is a great day for freedom.

I thank Slovenia for standing with NATO and for providing vital aid to the refugees. For all you have done, I am very, very grateful. Thank you.

Eight years ago Mr. Milosevic triggered a military assault on your nation. But you resisted. You secured your freedom, and you proclaimed: It will never be the same again. Now, all the people—all the people of every part of Europe must be able to say the same thing. Democracy, tolerance, and human rights must prevail everywhere. For no nation is safe, no prosperity is stable if conflict and refugees and crime and terrorism can be pushed across borders.

We must build a Europe with no frontline states, a Europe undivided, democratic, and at peace for the first time in history. And Slovenia can lead the way. And America will help.

Today America and Slovenia have reached agreements to encourage more American companies to do business here, to expand trade, and to do other things which will help your economy. And let me say to people all over the world who will see this on television, do not be deterred by the rain. [Laughter] This a wonderful country. Come here and help them build a future.

We also want to build Slovenia's security. You have stood with us in Kosovo. You have made progress in creating a modern military. You have established a demining trust to remove land-mines and aid their victims. You have been a good partner, and you are an excellent candidate for NATO.

Let me also say that we want Serbia to be a part of the new Europe. But Serbia must reject the murderous rule of Mr. Milosevic and choose the path that Slovenia has chosen, where people reach across the old divides and find strength in their differences and their common humanity.

A decade ago, just as Mr. Milosevic was launching his campaign of ethnic terror, Slovenia chose a new national anthem, with a verse from your great poet and patriot France Preseren. Your anthem—your anthem tells what Europe's future should be. The anthem praises those who work for the day when all will be free; when nations live as neighbors, not enemies; when war is banished from the world.

Your vision is our vision. Let us pursue it together, for all of Europe, so that for all your peoples, it will never be the same again.

Thank you, and God bless you.

On behalf of our delegation, my wife, my daughter, all of us, thank you for making us feel welcome. We never will forget this. I hope you won't either.

God bless you, and thank you.