Aachen, Germany
as of April 22, 2000
http://194.245.36.141/karlspreis2000/preistraeger.htm
The Winner of the Award
This year, American President Bill Clinton will receive the
International
Charlemagne Award at Aachen. Presentation of the award will take place on
June 2, 2000.
Bill Clinton is receiving the Charlemagne Award "for his special
personal merits in cooperation with the European States, for the
maintenance of
peace, freedom, democracy and human rights in Europe, as well as for his
support
in the expansion of the European Union." In addition, he will be
distinguished - it says in the foundation of the directorate of the
association for
presentation of the Charlemagne Award - "for his brave intervention -
also while
the military was deployed - in keeping to the rules and ethical standards
as well as to
the domination of justice." Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo made it
clear
that the European Union is not capable of functioning collectively, in any
case
not without American participation.
In the foundation statement, selected mention is made of his efforts
for resolution between Greece and Turkey, as well as his endeavors for a
lasting solution
of the Cypress and the North Ireland conflict. The outlook for a final
peace
treat in the Near East in also one of Clinton's personal accomplishments.
After the fall of the Wall, his politics contributed to stabilizing
the local internal political situation somewhat in a Russia that was still
wavering
and endangered. "By doing that he helped to avoid disputes not only
between the peoples of the former Soviet Union, but also between Russia
and its
neighboring states."
The Charlemagne Award Directorate, in honoring the President of the
United States, wants to honor an award winner "who has proven himself
in
difficult and often changing political times as guarantor of American-
European
community values."
In doing that he is a representative for all American people.
The granting of the award is also a special thanks from the European,
especially the German people, to the American people, thanks "for the
construction of democracy, freedom and prosperity after 1945, for
partnership in NATO, for
the assistance in forming the European Union, for a stable politic around
the
Mediterranean Sea, for the enduring support in the process of
reunification and in
regard to the settlement of militant conflicts between European
populations,
cultures and religious communities." The Charlemagne Award 2000 has
merited "
the positive, pro-European involvement of several American Presidents,
Secretaries of State and politicians.
The Charlemagne Award is regarded as one of the most important
European awards. Since 1950, it has been bestowed upon personalities who
have worked for
the unification of Europe. The last award winner was British Prime
Minister Tony Blair.
Previous award winners include Konrad Adenauer (1954), the Commission of
European
Communities (1969), Spanish King Juan Carlos I (1982), Francois Mitterrand
and Helmut
Kohl (1988), Vaclav Havel (1991), Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands (1996)
and
in 1997, Federal President Roman Herzog.
Bill Clinton is the first American President who has received the
Charlemagne Award. In previous years two American Secretaries of State
have received
the Award, George C. Marshall in 1959 and Henry A. Kissinger in 1987.
In 2000, the International Charlemagne Award of Aachen celebrates its
50th anniversary.
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