First lady tells Romanians democracy is right path
July 1, 1996
Web posted at: 7:20 p.m. EDT (2320 GMT)BUCHAREST, Romania (CNN) -- About 3,000 cheering Romanians welcomed U.S. first lady Hillary Clinton Monday at Revolution Square in central Bucharest, where she praised Romania's pursuit of democracy, but later faced some hostile questions about internal White House issues.
"Romania will assume its rightful place as a leading country in Europe and the world. America will stand by you on that journey," the first lady said at the square -- the scene of bloody fighting during Romania's 1989 revolution to end communist rule.
Clinton arrived in Romania on the first leg of a 10-day tour to promote democracy in Eastern Europe. A confident Clinton walked through the crowd shaking hands with well-wishers before giving her speech. She honored the 1989 overthrow by laying a wreath at Revolution Square.
"We in America are confident that Romania will continue down this path," she said. "Along the way progress will be pointed to, lives will be changed."
First lady responds to allegations
But while Clinton was applauded, she came under fire from reporters who questioned her about a growing number of domestic issues, particularly her alleged involvement in the hiring of former White House aide, Craig Livingstone, who collected FBI files on hundreds of private citizens.
"I don't know anything about it. I know I didn't have any involvement," she said.
Clinton also made her first public comments about a new book called "Unlimited Access" by retired FBI agent Gary Aldrich, who spent two years in the Clinton White House. The book paints an unflattering view of the Clintons, summing up the first lady as a power-hungry schemer and a virtual dictator within the White House.
The first lady dismissed the book as a "politically inspired fabrication."
Visits AIDS clinic
Clinton also visited children at the Pediatric AIDS Clinic at Bucharest's Gheorge Lupu Hospital. Romania has the worst juvenile AIDS problem in Europe; more than 90 percent of its 3,000 cases are children under 12.
From Romania, Clinton will head to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia and Finland.
CNN Correspondent Jill Dougherty and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- White House Denounces New Book As Fabrication - June 30, 1996
- Former FBI agent attacks Clintons in new book - June 28, 1996
- FBI files, travel office case dog Clinton - June 23, 1996
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