Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the President's Meeting With Secretary General Manfred Woerner of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

The President met with NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner in the Oval Office for approximately 30 minutes this afternoon. Secretary General Woerner and the President reviewed the progress NATO has made in the transition of the alliance as mandated by the NATO leaders at the July 1990 NATO summit. In particular, they focused on the success of the recent Defense Planning Committee Ministerial and the North Atlantic Council Ministerial meeting. Secretary General Woerner and the President also discussed arrangements for the November NATO summit in Rome, which they view as the culmination of the work mandated in London. Both of them agreed on the vitality and the relevancy of NATO to meet future challenges in Europe. The President also reiterated the United States strong support for the development of a European security identity that strengthens the NATO alliance.