Success in the Middle East. Last week, Secretary of State Warren Christopher concluded an agreement with the leaders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria, to end the crisis in southern Lebanon and northern Israel and to prevent it from arising again in the future. Today, President Clinton and Prime Minister Shimon Peres will follow on that achievement by signing the U.S. - Israel Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Accord in a White House ceremony. President Clinton is pleased that the budget he signed last week includes the $50 million he requested for our joint anti-terrorism efforts, including today's accord.

Peace through cooperation. Today's signing of the Counter-Terrorism Cooperation Accord with Israel strengthens the relationship between our two countries in the search for lasting peace. Begun by the President and Prime Minister Peres during the President's visit to Israel last month, the accord sets forth practical means through which we can expand cooperation in the areas of: * Information sharing * Research and development * Training and technical assistance * Investigation, prosecution and extradition.

A commitment to fighting terrorism. Last week, President Clinton signed anti-terrorism legislation which will provide important new tools to law enforcement to crack down, track down and shut down terrorists. These new laws:

• Authorize $1 billion in funding for federal anti-terrorism law enforcement efforts.
• Make it easier for police to trace bombs to the criminals who made them, by requiring chemical taggants in some explosive materials.
• Make it harder for terrorists to raise the money they need to fund their crimes.
• Streamline exclusion and expulsion procedures for terrorist aliens.
• Allow the President to withhold foreign aid to countries which provide assistance to any country designated as a supporter of terrorism.
• Increase the penalties for conspiracy to commit explosives violations and for specified terrorism-related crimes.
• Allow victims of terrorist acts to sue foreign state sponsors of terrorism.
• Expand the use of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds to include terrorism victims.

President Clinton has taken a strong stand against terrorism. Counter-terrorism is a top priority for the Clinton Administration as it has sought aggressively to track down and punish terrorists worldwide and to fight international crime to the fullest extent of the law. The President and his Administration have:

• Prevented major terrorist attacks in New York City before they could be carried out.
• Called for and co-chaired the historic Summit of the Peacemakers in Egypt in March, 1996.
• Extended economic sanctions against Iran and Sudan and imposed tight sanctions against Libya and Iraq for their support and sponsorship of terrorism.
• Repeatedly pressed for the U.S. Senate, and other nations, to outlaw poison gas once and for all by ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention.
• Developed emergency rapid-response plans to deal with chemical and biological terrorism.
• Arrested and brought back to stand trial in the United States, terrorists hiding in Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Jordan and Egypt.