meetings have been fruitful; and I hope you'll get the idea that our administration and, hopefully, Congress-over which I have no control, I might add-agrees you all are doing the Lord's work and are on the right track in terms of investment. And so, I want to come over here to welcome officially the members of the African Business Roundtable to the United States and, more particularly, to the White House. You know, Africa-I view it as a continent with enormous potential, richly endowed with natural resources and, from my own personal experience as Ambassador to the United Nations and then as one who has traveled rather extensively in Africa, richly endowed with warm and very friendly people. And we all recognize that Africa faces tremendous challenges. I don't know how one quantifies the problems facing each continent, but I know they're tough; I know they're extraordinarily complex in Africa. Overcoming poverty-I'll never be the same as when I was in the northern part of Africa and went across the Sahel and saw some of the famine there. The disease problems-I do salute those who have worked hard in that, the United Nations and others making a significant contribution. And I hope our country has, and we will continue to try to. But I know it concerns everybody here. And then, of course, there's always unresolved, tragic and, I would say, needless armed conflicts. So, this presents a picture of not just events that adversely affect one continent-it affects a lot of them-but certainly something that I think we would all agree-these things plague Africa. But Africa's most fundamental challenge, I think, is on the economic development side: harnessing the continent's natural and human resources side to create better and richer lives for all of the people there. Governments clearly have a role to play, and African political leaders need to create the proper economic framework for development. Donors, including the United States, have an opportunity to encourage and to support sound economic policies, moving the market forces as much as possible-private incentives, private ownership. But the key to a richer and more vibrant economy across the continent is found, I think, there fore, in the private sector, not in the hands of governments. That's why you and other African entrepreneurs represent the bright promise of Africa's economic future working, I hope, more and more with America. You're doing exactly the right thing in looking for investment opportunities at home, seeking support from private investors abroad, and working to develop mutually beneficial trade relationships. I know that you have a busy schedule here in Washington. And I was told that you're going to see some "outside the beltway" America. We politicians always refer to Washington as "inside the beltway," meaning it's a little out of touch with the rest of the country. So, I am delighted to know that you're going to Atlanta and Dallas, in my home State of Texas; and that's where I got started in business. There's a good business ethic there, climate and feeling. I think you'll find a receptivity in that part of the world which I hope you'll see not only as hospitable but as something that's very promising economics-wise. The same thing would be true of Atlanta and throughout the rest of the country. But I really just popped over here to wish you a very enjoyable stay. We're glad you came, and we trust that this visit will prove profitable as well as enjoyable. So, good luck in your important work. You really are on the same wavelength we are in terms of our approach to much of the evolution that's taking place in Eastern Europe and, indeed, in our own hemisphere. We think that the private sector stabilization and growth is very, very important, and I think the business groups such as this can disproportionately contribute to the well-being of the continent. So, thank you very much, and I hope we can work closely with you, President N'Diaye, and others as well, to be a catalyst for your success. I don't know what goes next, but that's the end of my performance. Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. in the Indian Treaty Room at the Old Executive Office Building. Babacar N'Diaye is President of the Bank. Letter to the Speaker of the House and Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. Chairman:) Pursuant to section 52 of the Arms Control and Disarmament Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2592), I am pleased to transmit the enclosed report on the adherence of the United States to arms control treaty obligations and on problems related to compliance by other nations with the provisions of arms control agreements to which the United States is a party. This report was prepared by the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency in coordination with the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of Central Intelligence. In previous reports to the Congress, I have made clear that the United States expects scrupulous compliance from its arms control treaty partners. For its part, the United States continues to take seriously its commitments to arms control agreements and sets rigid standards and procedures for assuring that it meets these obligations. Sincerely, George Bush Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Claiborne Pell, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Remarks at a Luncheon Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the White House. Senator Dole, Speaker Foley, Commission and Foundation members, family of beloved Ike, and the distinguished foreign dignitaries that are here, Ambassadors, honored guests, I know that many of you have just come from this joint session of Congress. Let me just say welcome to the House that Ike and Mamie graced. Barbara said, You've got your nerve speaking after Walter Cronkite; Jim Robinson; Clark Clifford; Arnold Palmer; John Eisenhower, who I hear paid a magnificent tribute to his dad; and Winston Churchill; say nothing of distinguished Members of Congress. Well, somebody has to do the heavy lifting around here. [Laughter] You know, every President admires other Presidents. Harry Truman was fond of Andrew Jackson. Gerald Ford studied Abraham Lincoln. And so, today I say it loudly and very proudly: I have always liked Ike. This year marks the centennial anniversary of Dwight Eisenhower's birth, a date your two groups have already done much to commemorate. And as we gather here, America still likes Ike. We like him because he was a man of character; good will was at the core. He was a healer, not a hater. And he had a deep faith in God, and he believed America to be divinely blessed. Who will ever forget the last words he spoke on Earth: "I have always loved my wife. I have always loved my children. I have always loved my grandchildren. I have always loved my country." Second, America likes Ike because he liked us. He was one of us. We trusted him to act on behalf of us. In fact-fracturing syntax-he even spoke like us. [Laughter] Come to think of it, now I know why he's among my favorite Presidents. [Laughter] But Ike once said, "I come from the heart of America." And so he did, enjoying what he called the great and priceless privilege of growing up in a small town. From "smalltown America," he learned values and ideals, what we term its culture. And he played football at the Point-followed it avidly-loved to read, loved TV westerns. Among his favorite groups was Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. And a few feet from here is where Ike had his famous putting green. He made golf, as I'm sure Arnold will attest to, a nationally popular sport. And here's another reason America still likes Ike. He was intensely knowledgeable on becoming President, already a giant in foreign affairs. Of Ike, it was said that he preserved civilization. Most Presidents try to save the world after they get elected. Well, he got started a little early. Few men were tested more severely. Think of it: 3 long years from the deserts of North Africa to the beaches of Normandy-3 long years, the fate of millions of brave fighting men in his hands. And last December, off the coast of Malta, I spoke to the men of the U.S.S. Forrestal, where I recalled how, on D-day, Ike addressed the sailors, the soldiers, and airmen of the expeditionary force: "You are about to embark," he told them, "upon a great crusade. The eyes of the world are upon you." Ike was steadfast; he was courageous. As Supreme Commander, he met the supreme test. He helped bring peace to every corner of the world. And finally, he was decisive, acting on instincts that were invariably wise. You know, some critics can't figure out how Eisenhower was so successful as a President without that vision thing. Well, his vision— [laughter]-his vision was etched on a plaque, sitting on his desk, that many of you around here remember because you were there: "Gently in manner, strong in deed." And he used that vision not to demagog but deliver. Listen to Ike's record of Presidential hits: 8 years of peace and prosperity, 8 years of domestic unity unparalleled in our history. He was a role model, everyone's second father. With Ike as President, father did indeed know best. And of course, he was inspired by one of the most gracious of all First Ladies, Mamie Doud Eisenhower, his wife of 52 years. What a marvelous legacy Dwight Eisenhower left to all Americans, and how we treasure what he was and what he did. He embodied the very decade that he was President and remains the living symbol of freedom, at home and abroad. Ask anyone who shares the love of liberty: They, too, still like Ike. In life, he enriched us all, and now it's up to us to tell his story and so enrich our kids. And that's what your Commission and your Foundation are doing, and I thank you for it and pledge my help. And God bless this land that Ike so deeply loved. Thank you all for coming to the White House. Note: The President spoke at 12:37 p.m. in the State Dining Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to CBS News journalist Walter Cronkite; James D. Robinson III, chairman and chief executive officer of the American Express Co., Vice Chairman of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Centennial Commission, and chairman of the Eisenhower Centennial Foundation; Clark M. Clifford, who served in various capacities in the Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson administrations; golf professional Arnold Palmer; John Sheldon Doud Eisenhower, son of President Eisenhower; and British Member of Parliament Winston S. Churchill, grandson of Prime Minister Churchill. Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the Emigration of Soviet Jews March 27, 1990 The United States has long championed the right to emigrate from the Soviet Union and has welcomed Soviet decisions enabling greater numbers of Soviet citizens to choose to leave. That many Soviet Jews are going to Israel is a historic event. The President is disappointed, therefore, at the unfortunate developments of recent days which have had the effect of severely limiting the passage out of the U.S.S.R. of large numbers of Soviet Jews heading to Israel via Hungary. Especially disturbing is the decision by the Hungarian airline Malev-citing terrorist threats to restrict travel opportunities for Soviet Jews. The Polish Government has expressed its willingness to consider expanding transit for Soviet Jews through Poland. We applaud such a resolute approach and call upon other nations, particularly in Eastern Europe, to do the same. We urge Hungary's airline to reconsider its position. We also urge the Soviet Union once again to implement the agreement with Israel for direct flights. Remarks at the Posthumous Presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal to Jesse Owens March 28, 1990 The President. Well, this is so nice. And I was just telling Mrs. Owens I'm sorry Barbara is not here and that we view this as a very special occasion. But to Congressman Stokes and Senator Metzenbaum and then friends and teammates of the legendary Jesse Owens, welcome, all of you, to the White House. It's my pleasure to welcome you here to the White House to honor a man who really honored his own nation-Olympic hero and an American hero every day of his life. Jesse Owens was born with the gift of burning speed, and he took that God-given talent and developed it through years of training. And he was always the fastest. One afternoon in 1935 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he set three world records and tied a fourth all in 45 minutes. You talk about a young guy in a hurry-well, I think maybe that was laughter he was the epitome of that. As an 18-year-old in 1933, he won the city of Cleveland championship, the 100yard dash in 9.4, tying the world record while still in high school. He burst onto the world scene in 1936, and I think every American that studies history remembers this the 1936 Olympics, Hitler's Olympic games, the last Olympics before the outbreak of the Second World War. And the Berlin games were to be the showcase of Hitler's theories on the superiority of the master race until this 23-year-old kid named Jesse Owens dashed to victory in the 100-, the 200-, and the 400-meter relay. It was an unrivaled athletic triumph. But more than that, it really was a triumph for all humanity. And Jesse Owens returned to this nation a hero, a household name, billed as the fastest man on Earth. But it's what he did after the spectacular performance of the Berlin games that earned him the enduring gratitude of all Americans. Jesse dedicated himself to upholding the Olympic ideal of sportsmanship, and the American ideals of fairplay, hard work, and open competition. And I know that his friend and fellow Clevelander, Harrison Dillard-now, which is Harrison? Right here, right behind you— Harrison Dillard, right here today. In 1941, at the Ohio State high school track championship, Harrison's idol, Jesse Owens-you correct me if I'm wrong, now-gave him a new pair of track shoes. And that day, Harrison Dillard won two State titles in those new shoes. And 7 years later, as we all remember, he brought home the gold medal at the 1948 Olympics in Jesse's event, that 100-meter dash, in the first games held since those Berlin games. Jesse's example and influence extended to Olympians like Harrison Dillard and to all other athletes across the country, and he became a special ambassador for sports, a man who taught the ideals that I just mentioned were the key to success not just on the athletic field but in the game of life. And that legacy lives today through the Jesse Owens Games, a playground olympics across our open to kids from 8 to 15 years old all country; through the Jesse Owens International Trophy Award, presented each year to the best amateur athlete in America; and of course, through the Jesse Owens Foundation, which enables talented young people who can't afford college to fulfill that dream and get a degree. And I know it's a point of pride to Ruth Owens that the Jesse Owens Scholarships are awarded without regard to race, creed, or color. And it's that legacy that we celebrate here today. And we remember Jesse Owens not only as the first athlete in Olympic history to win four gold medals. Today, 10 years since the passing of this great hero, it's my honor to add to Jesse Owens' collection a fifth gold medal. This one, as Ruth Owens said on Capitol Hill, for his humanitarian contributions in the race of life. Mrs. Owens, it is with great pride and in honor of your late husband and his lasting achievements that I present to you this Congressional Gold Medal, the Jesse Owens Congressional Gold Medal. And we're just delighted you came here to receive it. Mrs. Owens. Mr. President, thank you so very much for this honor. Like your predecessors, President Ford, President Carter, who have recognized Jesse for his many contributions. Jesse achieved the unique distinction of being a legend in his own time. Despite the many honors, his greatest satisfaction came from his work with youth. Jesse's work with youth is now carried on through, as you mentioned, the Jesse Owens Foundation, the ARCO [Atlantic Richfield Co.] Jesse Owens Games, and the International Amateur Athletic Association, spearheaded by Herb Douglas. On behalf of the youth he still inspires, and on behalf of my family, we thank you. Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Nomination of Michael L. Williams To Be an Assistant Secretary of Education March 28, 1990 The President today announced his intention to nominate Michael L. Williams to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education. He would succeed LeGree S. Daniels. Since 1989 Mr. Williams has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement at the Department of the Treasury in Washington, DC. Prior to this, he served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General at the Department of Justice, 1989; domestic policy analyst for Bush-Quayle 1988 in Washington, DC, 1988; associate attorney with the law firm of Cotton, Bledsoe, Tighe and Dawson in Midland, TX, 1988-1989; senior trial attorney at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, 1984-1988; and chief prosecutor and assistant district attorney in Midland, TX, 1984. In addition, he served as an attorney in private practice in Midland, TX, 1980-1984; and as an economic development planner for the Midland Chamber of Commerce, 1980-1982. Mr. Williams graduated from the University of Southern California (B.A., 1975; M.P.A., 1979; J.D., 1979). He was born May 31, 1953, in Midland, TX. Mr. Williams is married and resides in Falls Church, VA. Appointment of Don M. Newman as United States Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization With the Rank of Minister March 28, 1990 The President today announced his intention to appoint Don M. Newman to be the Representative on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The President also announced his intention to nominate Mr. Newman for the rank of Minister during his tenure of service as Representative. He would succeed Edmund Stohr. Mr. Newman served as Acting Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC, 1989. In addition, he has served as Under Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, 1986-1989; Principal Deputy at the Department of Health and Human Services, 1985-1986; director of the Washington office of Indiana Governor Orr, 1980–1985; and director of the Washington office of Indiana Governor Bowen, 19731980. He also served as a registered pharmacist for 18 years in South Bend and Mishawaka, IN. Mr. Newman graduated from Purdue University (B.S., 1947), Indiana University (M.S.B.A., 1972; M.B.A., 1989), and Georgetown University (J.D., 1979). He was born July 31, 1923, in Chicago, IL. Mr. Newman served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 19431945. He has two children and resides in Washington, DC. Statement on the Seizure of Nuclear Weapon Components Being Shipped to Iraq March 28, 1990 The arrest of Iraqis in London raises once again the administration's deep concern about the issue of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. Nuclear proliferation, along with the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons and intermediate range missiles, continues to pose serious threats to U.S. interests, as well as the interests of our |