Remarks on Departure for Indonesia and Japan

Good morning. Today we depart Washington en route to the Far East. As I'm sure you know, it's a journey we are very excited about. We have looked forward to this trip for a long time. We will travel first to Indonesia for talks with President Soeharto and also meet with the Foreign Ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations. From Indonesia, we will leave for Tokyo and the 12th annual economic summit of the free industrialized nations of Asia, Europe, and North America.

America's partnership with the nations of Asia grows stronger every year. In the days ahead we will once again work together to reaffirm and renew our economic, strategic, and political ties. It will also be good to reaffirm and renew our personal ties.

As for the Tokyo summit, our agenda is full. There will be long and rather detailed economic meetings, and we will also discuss other areas of political and strategic concern. It will be good to see the summit members and to renew our friendship. This summit comes at an interesting time. There is no denying that the winds of freedom are blowing, east and west. They are brisk and bracing winds, sweeping out the old and, I believe, ushering in a new era of freedom, an era in which democracy is once again recognized as the new idea. So, this is an exciting time, and I expect the Tokyo summit to reflect the dynamism of the day.

Nancy, who I'll be joining in Los Angeles later today, is going into a very heavy schedule on this trip. In Thailand and Malaysia she'll be working very hard on events and issues that are related to her work against drug abuse. So, it looks like we'll both have a lot to report when we return. And for now, sayonara. You see, I've been practicing.

Thank you. God bless you all. All right, goodbye.