Mr President, I was honoured to accept your invitation to make an official visit to Washington, and I am delighted to be here.
Your visit to London last year was without doubt a highlight of the early months of my Premiership. Perhaps more important, your visit to Northern Ireland in 1995 was a highlight of the struggle of that Province for peace. Then, I was Leader of the Opposition. Today, as Prime Minister, I know and value your concern, and your support, as we work towards a lasting and peaceful settlement. We value too the determination you have expressed once more to bring to justice those responsible for the Lockerbie bombing.
On so many issues we think alike. We are in politics for the same things: because we want to modernise our countries in preparation for the new Millennium; because we believe in freedom, in fairness; because we want greater prosperity for our people, a better standard of living for what you call middle America, and I call middle Britain - the majority of hardworking decent people who play by the rules.
Bill Clinton has in his time said some very kind things about me. Let me say something about Bill Clinton. He said what he wanted to deliver, and he is delivering. He never said it would be easy, but he stuck to his guns. He never promised miracles, but he has delivered progress for the people who elected him.
Bill Clinton has been here for six years. In Britain, we are a new Government, at the beginning of our journey. There will be tough times and tough decisions for us too. But we too are determined to deliver for our people, and to fulfil the promises we made to them.
It is an ambitious project because it seeks to reach out beyond the old boundaries of left and right, which the people found to be irrelevant long before the politicians did. Ours is the politics of the radical centre, managing economic and social change rather than allowing it to manage us.
As the next few days unfold, I know that the ties between us will strengthen further. More important, the bonds between our countries will strengthen.
We have stood together before in the face of tyranny. Today, in the face of Saddam Hussein, we must stand together once more. We want a diplomatic solution to the crisis. But the success or failure of diplomacy rests on Saddam. If he fails to respond, then he knows that the threat of force is there, and it is real.
We must also work together to move forward the Middle East Peace Process. There are few more important tasks for international diplomacy in the next few months.
In the next three days, we will spend many hours together, and discuss many issues. We do so with a shared language, shared values, a shared determination to stand up for what is right.
We do so confident of strengthening the bonds that tie us together, and building a new transatlantic relationship founded on the successful modernisation of our two countries - a new and modern relationship for a new Century.
Your visit to London last year was without doubt a highlight of the early months of my Premiership. Perhaps more important, your visit to Northern Ireland in 1995 was a highlight of the struggle of that Province for peace. Then, I was Leader of the Opposition. Today, as Prime Minister, I know and value your concern, and your support, as we work towards a lasting and peaceful settlement. We value too the determination you have expressed once more to bring to justice those responsible for the Lockerbie bombing.
On so many issues we think alike. We are in politics for the same things: because we want to modernise our countries in preparation for the new Millennium; because we believe in freedom, in fairness; because we want greater prosperity for our people, a better standard of living for what you call middle America, and I call middle Britain - the majority of hardworking decent people who play by the rules.
Bill Clinton has in his time said some very kind things about me. Let me say something about Bill Clinton. He said what he wanted to deliver, and he is delivering. He never said it would be easy, but he stuck to his guns. He never promised miracles, but he has delivered progress for the people who elected him.
Bill Clinton has been here for six years. In Britain, we are a new Government, at the beginning of our journey. There will be tough times and tough decisions for us too. But we too are determined to deliver for our people, and to fulfil the promises we made to them.
It is an ambitious project because it seeks to reach out beyond the old boundaries of left and right, which the people found to be irrelevant long before the politicians did. Ours is the politics of the radical centre, managing economic and social change rather than allowing it to manage us.
As the next few days unfold, I know that the ties between us will strengthen further. More important, the bonds between our countries will strengthen.
We have stood together before in the face of tyranny. Today, in the face of Saddam Hussein, we must stand together once more. We want a diplomatic solution to the crisis. But the success or failure of diplomacy rests on Saddam. If he fails to respond, then he knows that the threat of force is there, and it is real.
We must also work together to move forward the Middle East Peace Process. There are few more important tasks for international diplomacy in the next few months.
In the next three days, we will spend many hours together, and discuss many issues. We do so with a shared language, shared values, a shared determination to stand up for what is right.
We do so confident of strengthening the bonds that tie us together, and building a new transatlantic relationship founded on the successful modernisation of our two countries - a new and modern relationship for a new Century.