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

The President met this weekend with Manfred Woerner, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, at Camp David. The President's wide-ranging discussions with Secretary General Woerner began on Saturday, February 10, and concluded on Sunday morning, February 11.

They talked about the recent political developments in Europe, including [West German] Chancellor Kohl's extraordinarily successful weekend visit to Moscow. The President complimented the Secretary General on his recent speech in Hamburg on the Atlantic alliance and German unity, and the Secretary General provided a further elaboration of his views. They expressed their gratification that the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany had affirmed that a unified Germany would remain a member of the North Atlantic alliance. They agreed that NATO, in addition to maintaining the common defense, should adopt new political roles: in helping guide Western policy toward the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe, in coordinating the negotiation and monitoring of arms control agreements, and in developing Western policy for regional and transnational issues.

Both leaders continue to attach a high priority to rapid conclusion of an agreement in the negotiations on conventional forces in Europe (CFE), and the President praised the Secretary General's efforts in winning full allied support for the President's recent CFE initiatives on military troop strength and the treatment of combat aircraft. Looking ahead to the conference that begins on Monday, February 12, in Ottawa, on "Open Skies," the Secretary General noted the rapid progress that has been made in advancing the President's "Open Skies" proposal.