USA: PRESIDENT CLINTON ADDRESSES STAFF AT US COMMERCE DEPARTMENT

(3 Apr 1996) English/Nat

The mood is grim in the United States over the news that Commerce Secretary Ron Brown is missing in the Balkans.

President Clinton cancelled his afternoon schedule and he and the first lady went to Brown's Washington home to visit his wife, Alma, and son, Michael.

After the visit Clinton addressed the staff at the U-S Commerce Department. Clinton praised Ron Brown for the wonderful person he was and he complimented Brown for all the good work he had done.

Bill and Hillary Clinton arrived at the Commerce Department after their visit to Brown's family.

President Clinton had a message from Alma, Ron Brown's wife, for the people at the department.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)
"Just to have the chance to say a few words to you. The first thing I want to say is before I left I asked Alma, I said 'Alma what do you want me to say to them at the commerce department?' and she said tell them Ron was proud of them, that he liked them, that he believed in them and that he fought for the commerce department and tell them that you are going to do that now. Which I thought was an incredible thing."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

Alma's message was received with applause.

Clinton then took the opportunity to say some words about Ron Brown.

SOUNDBITE: (In English)
"I also want to say just one last thing about Ron Brown, he was one of the best advisers and ablest people I ever knew and he was very good in everything he ever did. Whether he was a commerce secretary, a civil rights leader or something else, he was always out there just giving his all. And he always believed that his mission in life was to put people's dreams in their reach if they were willing to work for it and believe in themselves."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, US President

SOUNDBITE: (In English)
"And those of us who loved him will always be grateful for his friendship and his warmth. And every American should be grateful that at a very difficulty moment in our nations history he made this commerce department what it was mentioned to be, an instrument for realising the potential of every American, for all of you who played a role in that I ask for your prayers for secretary Brown and his family, for your colleagues and there families, for your business leaders and their families and for our beloved military leaders and their families. And I ask you always, always to be proud for what you have done and very grateful for the opportunity to have done it. I like to ask now that we bow for a moment of silence."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President

Croatian officials say they've found wreckage from Brown's plane, and four bodies -- still unidentified.

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