The United States is concerned that continued fighting in Eastern Zaire could undermine tentative progress to date in establishing the basis for peaceful resolution of the crisis.

There are basically three things you've asked there. Let me try to—first of all, yes, the President should know. And I can tell you, if I had known about the reports—and, again, these are reports, these are allegations, we have not reached a—as far as I know, no one in the government has reached a conclusive decision about this. So it's very important not to accuse people of something that you don't know they have done. But had we known about the reports, the first thing I would have done is I would have given them to Leon Panetta and to Tony Lake and to Sandy Berger and I'd say, listen, look at these, evaluate them and make recommendations about what, if any, changes we ought to make or what should we be alert to. So it would have provoked at least to that extent a red flag on my part.

Good morning, everyone. Let me start with an announcement the Vice President's Office is making today. Vice President Al Gore will visit Asia this month with stops in Japan between March 23–24; China March 24–28; and Korea March 28–29. The Vice President will meet with the leaders of the three countries to discuss international, regional and bilateral issues of mutual concern. Details of the Vice President's program are still being worked out with each of the three governments. I expect the Vice President's Office will be able to give you more of an itinerary at a future date.

Let me say, first of all, how much our congressional delegation has learned during our short time in your country. We are awed by the pace of change in your major cities. I noted in our meeting with your president that during the six hours we will be in Shanghai tomorrow, fifteen buildings will be completed. We admire the ten percent annual economic growth that China has achieved and sustained. Frankly, I wish I could go back to America and announce that we will get ten percent economic growth for the next ten years. That would solve a lot of our problems and balance our budget while letting us do everything else we want to do. So, we're trying to learn from you, not just talk to you.

Alternate Representative of the Chinese delegation Li Baodong on April 1 urged the United States to return to the road of dialogue and cooperation by putting an end to all actions of confrontation.

An Act to support the autonomous governance of Hong Kong after its reversion to the People's Republic of China.

Pursuant to section 1048 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, I transmit herewith a report on the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The United States is deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Albania. We appeal to all Albanians to help end the acts of violence, which only exacerbate the difficulties in which Albania finds itself in the wake of the collapse of pyramid investment schemes.

The Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, issued the following statement today:

The municipal elections this year will be of key importance for the future developments of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of the elections is to achieve new structures of authority in municipalities all around the country, and it is only when this has been achieved that the electoral process can be regarded as concluded.

In reference to the Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem Affairs' decision:

The decision to approve construction of the Har Homa neighborhood, as well as other projects for the Arab population, was taken within the context of Jerusalem's development needs and represents no contravention of international law or any Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

My fundamental purpose [here today] is to reaffirm United States policy towards Iraq. That policy is part of a broad commitment to protect the security and territory of our friends and allies in the Gulf. We have a vital national interest in the security of the region's oil supplies, and we have forged strong friendships with countries in the area who agree with us that nations should respect international law, refrain from aggression and oppose those who commit or sponsor terror.

I am pleased to be with you today, and to be able to announce some of the managerial initiatives which I am going to take today. I think I made it clear from the beginning that I was approaching it on a two-track basis: track 1 covering actions and initiatives that I can take under my own authority; and track 2 dealing with longer-term and strategic issues which only the Member States can decide.

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 490(b)(1)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, (“the Act”), I hereby determine and certify that the following major drug producing and or major drug transit countries/dependent territories have cooperated fully with the United States, or taken adequate steps on their own, to achieve full compliance with the goals and objectives of the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances: Aruba, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.