Secretary of State Speaks This Morning

Outgoing Secretary of State Warren Christopher will give his farewell address today in an 11:30 a.m. speech at the John F. Kennedy School's ACRO Forum.

In an address titled "American Diplomacy for the 21st Century," Christopher plans to outline what he sees as America's future around the globe.

He has spoken at the Kennedy School, from which his son holds a degree, each of the last three years, and chose it as the location for his final address.

Although he has provided no hint of what the speech will focus on, in his visit a year ago Christopher spoke on America's role as the international leader. He highlighted President Clinton's peace-making efforts in Bosnia and the Middle East, while rebuking what he termed the isolationism of the Republican Revolution.

The goals Christopher announced for American foreign policy in 1996--pursuing peace in vital regions of the world, diffusing transnational security threats and promoting open markets--could just as easily hold for 1997 as well.

His trip to Harvard will be the last public address for the 63rd Secretary of State before he passes the baton to Madeleine Albright.

"I am very excited to hear Christopher's expectations for Clinton's new national security team, with up-and-coming stars Madeleine Albright and William Cohen," said William F. Abely '99, a member of the Student Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics. "We're honored that the secretary of state would choose Harvard as the place to give his farewell speech."

In the past year, Christopher has focused his efforts on the Middle East, specifically, facilitating the peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. In addition, he has spent time smoothing relations in China and has kept an eye on the mass demonstrations against President Slobodan Milosevic in Serbia.