News

DATE=3/10/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-246483 TITLE=CLINTON/GUATEMALA (L) BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS DATELINE=GUATEMALA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS EXPRESSED REGRET OVER PAST U-S SUPPORT FOR MILITARY DICTATORS IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND HAS SAID THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. AS VOA'S GREG FLAKUS REPORTS FROM GUATEMALA CITY, THE PRESIDENT IS NOW TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE CURRENT RELATIONS WITH WHAT HE CALLS BROTHER NATIONS. TEXT: SPEAKING AT A WELCOME CEREMONY AND AT A ROUNDTABLE HERE IN GUATEMALA CITY ON WEDNESDAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON MADE REFERENCE TO THE U-S ROLE HERE DURING THE COLD WAR. HE SAID U-S BLIND SUPPORT FOR REPRESSIVE REGIMES WAS A MISTAKE. IN REFERENCE TO A RECENT TRUTH COMMISSION REPORT WHICH PUT HEAVY BLAME ON THE UNITED STATES FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED IN GUATEMALA, MR CLINTON SAID THE UNITED STATES IS COMMITTED TO SHEDDING LIGHT ON SUCH DARK EVENTS OF THE PAST IN ORDER TO ASSURE THAT THEY ARE NEVER REPEATED. PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID THE UNITED STATES IS NOW READY TO PLAY A NEW, CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN GUATEMALA TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE PROSPEROUS, JUST AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. /// CLINTON ACT /// I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AFTER I LEAVE CENTRAL AMERICA, THE UNITED STATES DEVELOP WITH EVERY COUNTRY THE MOST SPECIFIC POSSIBLE PLAN FOR WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU ACHIEVE. WHETHER IT IS IN DEALING WITH THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS, THE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN, THE NEED FOR THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN, THE NEED FOR GREATER EFFORTS WITH INDIGEOUS GROUPS, THE NEED TO GO FURTHER IN THE SEARCH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THE RULE OF LAW, HOW TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE ISSUES IN THE COMMISSION REPORT. /// END ACT /// IN REGARD TO IMMIGRATION, THE PRESIDENT SAID THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO DEVELOP RULES THAT WILL BE JUST AND FAIR FOR IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE REGION. IN THE PAST, HE ACKNOWLEDGED, U-S POLICY HAD FAVORED IMMIGRANTS FROM THE LEFTIST SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT IN NICARAGUA, WHILE EXCLUDING MANY PEOPLE FROM GUATEMALA AND EL SALVADOR WHO SOUGHT ASYLUM FROM RIGHTWING REPRESSION. IN A MEETING WITH REPORTERS LATER IN THE DAY, U-S IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE DIRECTOR DORIS MEISNER, WHO HAS ACCOMPANIED MR CLINTON ON THIS TRIP, SAID NEW RULES ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. SHE ALSO SAID THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CENTRAL AMERICA WHO CURRENTLY FACE DEPORTATION IS ONE THOUSAND. IN CONTRAST, SHE NOTED, 15 THOUSAND CENTRAL AMERICANS WERE DEPORTED LAST YEAR. THE REDUCTION, SHE SAID, DEMONSTRATES THE RESTRAINT BEING SHOWN BY THE UNITED STATES IN ALLOWING MANY REFUGEES FROM HURRICANE MITCH TO REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. (SIGNED) N EB/PT 10-Mar-99 9:43 PM EST (0243 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .