VICE PRESIDENT GORE: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Secretary Albright, thank you for your very generous introduction and for your tireless work in pursuit of peace, your constant travel to the region, your dedication to the result that is announced today. At Wye Plantation, everyone saw again how your earnest efforts have won you the trust and respect of the parties involved, and you relied on that trust to keep these peace talks on track through many a tense moment. Your country and the world are honored by your service.

I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Sandy Berger, our courageous and rock- steady national security advisor, whose commitment and counsel have been so vital to the efforts in pursuit of peace. And also, a diplomat of endless endurance, Dennis Ross, who has served the cause of peace through several administrations, and has defied fatigue in his constant shuttling to points and between points in the Middle East.

I want to join the secretary in acknowledging the work of George Tenet and others that deserve credit. To those who will be speaking and to those who have labored without sleep for nine days now, the world is extremely grateful. I would also like to acknowledge Her Majesty, Queen Noor, and Mrs. Sarah Netanyahu, the members of the Palestinian delegation and the Israeli delegation, members of President Clinton's cabinet, members of the House and Senate, including Senator Kennedy and Senator Biden, Senator Lautenberg, Senator Robb, and Congressman Wexler.

A great deal of credit for today's announcement belongs to still another man now in the room, a great statesman of the Middle East, who you will also hear from, a man who himself made peace with Israel here at the White House four years ago, a man long devoted to the cause of peace, and whose personal stature as a peacemaker and dramatic appearance and presentation at a key moment inspired the progress and the success of these talks -- His Majesty King Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

We're grateful to you, Your Majesty, for your courage in being here.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chairman Arafat are heroes today. What they have done has taken genuine courage. But it often happens that even the deepest commitment to peace cannot overcome all obstacles without the strong and active encouragement of an outside party, an honest broker, a peacemaker who shares their passion for peace and can help both sides clarify their positions, understand their options and overcome their doubts.

In Bosnia, in Haiti, in Northern Ireland, and now again in the Middle East, President Bill Clinton has demonstrated his uncompromising personal commitment to bringing peace to some of the world's most troubled regions, regions that have had too much of war and are now seeking a path to peace.

In introducing the president, I would just like to say to any person who thinks for one moment that the outcome about to be signed here was somehow foreordained, somehow prearranged, expected, I assure you this was not the case.

Far, far from it. No one in the president's administration, in the Israeli delegation, in the Palestinian delegation had any idea of whether or not this might really succeed to the extent that it has.

There is no question that the personal commitment and perseverance and stamina and determination and sheer will of President Clinton was the key ingredient in keeping these

<2>