As foreign policy analysts, we are trained to think in terms of the most likely scenarios. I make this point not to dwell on the past, but to chasten our thinking about the future. Although it may seem that on any given day, dramatic change is unlikely, we can, nonetheless, be confident that, through patient effort and enduring commitment to our values of freedom, democracy, free markets and human rights, great changes will happen. This is the perspective I would like to bring to bear on the topic of European and Atlantic integration. I am pleased that the theme of this conference is integration as the basis for stability and security in Europe, because this is a perfect reflection of America's own policy for both Europe in general and the Baltic region in particular.
Integration is a concept used to mean many things.
This is a central part of our policy, because President Clinton's overarching goal is to create a Europe that is truly undivided, democratic and at peace for the first time in history. This opening of doors is a large part, but by no means the only part, of what the upcoming Washington NATO Summit will be about. There, we will be celebrating the admission of the first three countries to join NATO since the end of the Cold War. Like the Baltic states, these are countries that were cut off from mainstream Europe by Soviet troops and had communist systems imposed upon them against their will. Their joining NATO is a sign to all of us that the process of change, the process of creating the new undivided Europe, is well under way.