Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to Ottawa.

Many of you came to Ottawa last October for our previous landmines conference. Since then, it has been a year of frantic activity and full court press diplomacy. From Maputo to Tokyo, Vienna to Ashkabad, Kempton Park to Bonn, Manila to New Delhi, Saan'a to Brussels and Sydney to Oslo–the world's governments and peoples have been engaged in an extraordinary global effort to ban anti-personnel mines. And we have succeeded.

The Secretary General is pleased that the elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina this past weekend took place in a peaceful atmosphere. He is encouraged by the high level of participation in the elections, which underscores the interest of the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina in participating in the democratic process. The Secretary General looks forward to the full and prompt implementation of the official results of the elections and hopes that the elected leaders of Bosnia will look to the future and respect fully the Dayton Peace Agreement.

At the July 1997 NATO summit in Madrid, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invited Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic to begin accession talks to join the Alliance. On February 11, 1998 the President transmitted the accession protocols to the United States Senate seeking its advice and consent on this central pillar of the Administration's strategy for ensuring European stability into the 21st century.

I have no idea. I think that Scott Ritter has his piece of the story. He was a good inspector; I’m not going to criticize him. However, he doesn't have a clue about what our overall policy has been. We are the foremost supporter of UNSCOM; we have directed— have inspired, really, more inspections than anybody else. If it weren't for the United States—and I must say, me, personally—I doubt very much that the sanctions regime would be in place as strongly as it is.

We, APEC's Economic Leaders, met today in Vancouver, Canada, to reaffirm our commitment to work together to meet the challenge of sustaining regional prosperity and stability. Certain of the dynamism and resilience of the region, we underline our resolve to achieve sustainable growth and equitable development and to unlock the full potential of the people who live here. We agree that the prospects for economic growth in the region are strong, and that Asia-Pacific will continue to play a leading role in the global economy. The goals we have set, including the achievement of free and open trade and investment in the region by the dates set out in the Bogor Declaration, are ambitious and unequivocal.

Today, I met with ten women and men representing the WAVE Center in Northern Ireland, a support group for those who have been touched by the political violence of the past three decades. Each of these extraordinary individuals, representing both traditions in Northern Ireland, has suffered losing members of their families or being badly wounded themselves. I was inspired by their courage in rejecting violence and working for lasting peace in a land where people are not labeled by religion or national preference; inspired by their vision of a future marked by reconciliation and cooperation. And I will never forget their personal stories of sorrow and suffering, stories which are shared by many people of both communities in Northern Ireland. WAVE proves hatred can be overcome by hope, division can give way to unity, as victims of Northern Ireland's tragic past work together for a brighter future.

The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1160 (1998) of 31 March 1998. It covers the period since my last report of 4 June 1998 (S/1998/470).

[A]s promised, [I have] Jim Steinberg here, the President's Deputy National Security Advisor. Jim is going to go through the sequence of meetings that the President has, beginning with his meeting with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams tonight and the leaders of the parties tomorrow, at what is, I think Jim would agree, a very critical moment in the Northern Ireland peace process and one in which the coincidence of St. Patrick's Day and the meeting of all of the party leaders here provides the President with, I think, an important opportunity to help the parties and the government of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to move the work forward.

With both Cambodia and Indonesia making at least some political progress against what are clearly great odds, I find it especially sad that we must still address the lack of movement toward reconciliation in Burma. Burma is a country in great and growing distress today. The situation there has gotten worse in the last year; the threat it poses to the stability of this region has grown.

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus, visited Moscow on February 17–19, 1998 at the invitation of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, Viktor S. Chernomyrdin, to discuss the economic policy program for 1998 pursued by the Government and the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in the context of the medium-term economic strategy supported by the IMF's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) covering 1996–1998.The Prime Minister and the Managing Director share a common assessment of the situation, of the strategy, and the policies needed to bring the program to a full success given the prevailing challenges in the international financial environment.

The United States of America, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia, and the Republic of Lithuania, hereafter referred to as Partners.

I suppose the literally accurate answer to your question is we did not discuss that. But I have made it clear, and I believe we have made it clear between us, that, at least from my point of view, no option should be ruled out. We do not want another Bosnia in Kosovo. Too many people have died there already in indiscriminate violence. And of course, it happened very quickly. Neither, however, do we want to get in the position where Italy has to send troops to every one of its neighboring countries, and the United States has to send troops every time there's a dispute in that part of the world.

The Secretary-General is following very closely and with deep concern developments in Cambodia, in particular the weekend's events, including the grenade attack on the residence of Hun Sen, Sam Rainsy's taking refuge in the Office of the Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Cambodia (OSGPRC), and the forcible dispersal of demonstrations and sit-ins. As of this morning, Sam Rainsy was still in that office. The Secretary-General regrets the loss of life in these events.

Good morning. I want to speak with you today about the progress we have made toward a lasting peace in Bosnia, and the challenges that still must be faced in order to finish the job.

Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, which constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance.

Determined to ensure immediate and full compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and the other relevant resolutions.

Less than two weeks before the elections, the Secretary-General welcomes the progress achieved in the electoral process in Cambodia. He notes with satisfaction the freedom of movement and access accorded to international observers, as well as the guarantee of the security of all observers, both foreign and domestic, given by the Royal Government of Cambodia. At the same time, he remains concerned by discrepancies in access enjoyed by opposition parties to the media and by persistent reports of intimidation and impunity.

Mr. Secretary-General, Mr. President d'Honneur, fellow foreign ministers, distinguished colleagues. I am very pleased to speak with you on behalf of the United States.

Thanks very much, ladies and gentlemen. Do sit down. I'm sorry there isn't a text yet, but you'll be provided with one shortly.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. At the outset, I would like to congratulate all free and noble women and men especially the followers of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), on the occasion of the New Year. I take as a good omen the concurrence of the Christian New Year with the Islamic month of Ramadan, the month of edification and self-restraint that has been the goal of all divine prophets.