 Nancy? Madam Secretary, it's a pleasure to greet all of you. I know that some of you have heard that Galileo said that New York City is the center of the world. It is not true. What is true is that we are delighted to be the host city for the world. And it's a pleasure to welcome the President, the Secretary, and all of you. Secretary Schulz has said he really doesn't want to say a word, but I think he should say just a word. George, why don't you come and greet people normally? I'll take great pleasure and, of course, it's a tremendous privilege to introduce the President of the United States. George, thank you very much. Ambassador Kirkpatrick, Mr. Mayor, and distinguished guests and friends, thank you for coming this evening. And on behalf of all my fellow citizens, let me welcome you to the United States as we gather for the 38th session of the UN General Assembly. The United States is proud to be the home of this organization whose purpose is to bring peace to all the people of the planet. And your presence honors our nation. I'm looking forward to addressing the General Assembly tomorrow because I bring a message that's very important to me personally, to my country, and I believe to all the members of the UN. I've come to speak before the General Assembly because, like so many others, I'm disturbed by the drift of world events in recent weeks. I still believe the United Nations is an effective forum for not only discussing our problems, but doing something about them. As much as the Korean airline tragedy has been on my mind over the past few weeks, tonight I want to say just a few words about another tragedy that has been troubling me greatly, the one that is occurring in Lebanon. That beautiful, prosperous land, which was once a model of coexistence among peoples and faiths. It has been shattered by violence for reasons which are especially complex. Our goal, as well as the United Nations, is the territorial integrity, the sovereignty, and the political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries. It's long been clear that we can best fulfill this role by working to strengthen the legitimate government of Lebanon, by negotiating the withdrawal of all external forces, and by promoting a ceasefire and national reconciliation among Lebanon's communities. At the request of the Lebanese government, my nation, as you know, joined with France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, in sending peacekeeping troops to give Lebanon a chance to pull itself together, while our diplomats continue to search for internal agreement and an end to external intervention. Well, just a short while ago today, welcome news flashed across the Middle East that a ceasefire has officially been declared. Within a few hours, it is hoped that guns will finally be stilled. No one can underestimate the challenges that still lie ahead. Lebanon has been wracked by so many conflicting forces for so long that the building of peace and national reconciliation will be very formidable tasks. But this is a critical first step. We hope it marks a new beginning in Lebanon, a period of calm when Lebanon can begin to reclaim its nationhood free of outside forces and the threat of new bloodshed. The coming days must be a time for restraint and reconciliation by all parties. We in the United States will continue to be as helpful as we can in this process, and I hope and pray there will be UN observers on hand to help in that process. Let me say that President Jamile of Lebanon has shown true statesmanship during this period. The Secretary General and I spoke with him by telephone earlier today to congratulate him on this ceasefire and to wish him well. The assistance of Saudi Arabia, the cooperation of Syria have also been indispensable during this process. Finally, if I may, can I congratulate those who have served in the peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, as well as two of our own United States diplomats, Robert McFarland and Richard Fairbanks. All of them have played an enormously constructive role, and they too must share in our happiness this evening. We must all remember that what is at stake in Lebanon is a vital principle of international law and international morality, a principle at the heart of the UN Charter. A country's right to decide for itself how best to achieve its sovereign objectives free of occupation, threat, and blackmail. That is what the goal must be. The people of the United States have no driving desire to become involved in the internal affairs of other nations. Contrary to what some have alleged, we have no objectives of our own in Lebanon beyond peace for its people and freedom from external intervention. We would prefer that everyone just mind their own business and live their lives peacefully, but we recognize that as a major power we have major responsibilities. In good conscience, we can't turn our back on those responsibilities. The problems of Lebanon important in their own right are at the same time a part of the greater question of peace for all of the Middle East. We remain committed to the principles I outlined on September 1st, 1982, which were based on UN Security Council Resolution 242-338 and the Camp David Accords. The United States will not let up in its efforts to promote a just and lasting comprehensive negotiated peace so that the nations and peoples of the Middle East can live together in peace. In closing, let me say that I've come to New York this year because I want to reaffirm that the United States of America will continue to work constructively in the United Nations and in every other forum to help resolve conflicts, to support the forces of peace and international civility, and to promote economic cooperation and prosperity. We believe arms reductions are of particular importance. The commitment of the United States to the goals of the UN Charter is unwavering. In the cause of peace, my country will play its part and carry its share of the burden. Thank you all. Mr. President, you can tell we have a lot to say to you today. We welcome your presence here. We welcome to you in New York at the time when we celebrate our annual Women's Sports Hall of Fame dinner. It's our Hall of Fame dinner to honor the great pioneers in sport and the top professional and amateur athletes. Because you are such an advocate of physical fitness, I think you might see some of the faces that are on your cancel out here. But I'd like to share with you some of the accomplishments in the room. Out there is represented some 38 Olympic gold medals. 21 sports championships and 21 different sports. They are just part of our Women's Sports Coalition. We also have our male athletes like John Neighbor, who you know, like our corporate friends, like our media representatives like Kathleen Sullivan who flew down from Washington here today. They are a Women's Sports Foundation family. This family was formed seven years ago to promote and protect women's sports opportunities. We all remember the days, at least I do, when I wanted to play Little League Baseball. And the closest I could get to the dugout was in the dugout. I never got. I never got up to the plate. And I suppose the frustration of sitting on the bench like many athletes have in the past, especially women not able to get to those opportunities, are the things that motivated people like Peggy Fleming and Carol Mann and all of us to go out and find our sports and make it to the top. But we do remember, I do remember at 17, watching my teammate Dawn Schollander go off to Yale University on a scholarship and we all had one choice, retirement, because we didn't have high school and collegiate programs. Today because of the implementation of Title IX and many legislated, innovative programs, we have our opportunities to realize our potential. Pam and Paula McGee, would you raise your hand? Mr. President, those are two USC seniors that will probably represent us at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. And of course, in Los Angeles, there'll probably be some two and a half billion people watching the Olympics. These are possibly our most visible goodwill ambassadors to the world, into the young people in this country. To ensure that we protect and promote women's sports opportunities, I'd like to announce that the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Women's Sports Foundation in November is having a conference called the New Agenda. We're going to bring this coalition of interest together to Washington to try to promote and protect women's sports. And of course, what we need from you, Mr. President, is that we want your administration to listen in on what we're saying. We know because you are committed to physical fitness and sport, it's given you discipline, leadership qualities, the same qualities that our women can learn through sports so they can earn their place in this very competitive world in which we live. So we don't want our progress to be lost. We need to ensure that the language of Title IX, that the legislative improvements stay intact. We want to invite you to the Women's Sports Foundation team and have you become one of our team players. Martina, we need our t-shirt. Because this is what it's all about. And this is our book, a reference book. Well, thank you very much. And I'm delighted to have this opportunity to be here with you today. I have just come from addressing the United Nations and I have to tell you, with all due respect to them, I feel more at home here because in addition to athletics in school and when I was in school, I started my career as a radio sports announcer and thought that my life was going to go on connected with sports. Now here I am and maybe I'm going to get back to it. We welcome you. Well, I'd be pleased to do it. You know the Women's Sports Foundation's annual awards program and Hall of Fame is providing, as you well know, some overdue and well-deserved recognition to some very fine athletes. So before I go any further, let me just say to Donna, and I was going to say Diva Rona, but it's Deborah Rona. That's very good. All right. Mickey King-Hogue, Tenly Albright, Andrea Mead Lawrence, Helen Stevens, Martina Nabratilova, Mary Decker, Flo Hyman, and Arie Selinger. And I'm afraid that I met more awardees than I had names for down here. So to all of them also, I think all can be rightfully proud of their accomplishments. There was a time and it wasn't long ago that people thought that a woman's place in sports was in the grandstand. Who thought patterns are hard to break and I'd like to congratulate all of you in the Women's Sports Foundation for what you're doing to expand opportunities for participation for half of America's population. Your efforts to open up sporting events and change attitudes toward female sports, participation, competition, and fitness is doing a great service. You should be especially proud of your work to encourage women and girls to get involved in physical fitness programs. You're having a great influence and it would result in health and happiness for people who otherwise might have lived less healthy lives. We can all be grateful for the private sector support that you've been getting from corporations like Kimberly-Clarke, Avon, and Milky Way. And I have a feeling that there are more of those present and helping than I would give names for. So to all of them, you're reaching women and girls that are all over the country with a call for involvement, fitness, and health. This type of support from respected corporations is just the type of initiative that we're encouraging and I applaud those companies for their good citizenship. I'm pleased to learn that the United States Olympic Committee and Women's Sports Foundation have teamed up to ensure that there is a bright future for women in sports and fitness. I wish you success for your national conference in November, which will address the ways in which we can improve the status of girls in women's sports in America. Sports and fitness opportunities are for everyone. And through activities like this one today, you can assure that every individual has an opportunity to participate, to compete, and to reach his or her potential. So good luck to you again and congratulations to your award recipients and thanks for letting me play a part in this effort. And let me just say I can understand your suggestions to me, but I also know, and I just want to say to you on my own behalf, that there has been some misperception about what my attitude might be. And I want you to know that what it really is is probably one of the best kept secrets in Washington. And I've been doing my best to get the truth out. And I can't leave without telling a little story that has to do with my particular trade today, though, but I think it kind of fits the occasion. I am a fan also of not particularly an athlete, but a very wonderful woman, Margaret Thatcher of England. And when we had the summit conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, where is so, you know, the restored community restored to exactly what it was at the time of the American Revolution. And the first night I knew our first get together was going to be around the dinner table. So I was all set. When we sat down, I was going to say Margaret, if one of your predecessors had been a little more clever, you'd be hosting this gathering. I'd underestimated her because we all got there, sat down and I said, Margaret, if one of your predecessors had been a little more clever, she said, I know I would have been hosting this gathering. Well, thank you for letting me spend a few minutes here. I've got to go back to the affairs of state now, but this has been a pleasure and I assure you you won't have anything to worry about from me. Thank you, Mr. President.