TEXT: PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY TO VISIT MACEDONIA, AVIANO AFB
(Clinton will add stops, be joined by Mrs. Clinton)

Cologne -- The White House has announced that President Clinton is extending his European trip to include a June 22 visit to Macedonia and Aviano Air Force Base in Italy.

The president will be joined by First Lady Hillary Clinton, who accompanied the president on the first stops of his trip -- Geneva and Paris. After Paris, Mrs. Clinton went on a previously postponed trip to Fez, Morroco, then on to Palermo, Italy where she addressed a U.S. Information Agency-sponsored conference on civic education.

Clinton's original itinerary remains in place. After the conclusion of the G-8 summit on June 20, he will attend the U.S.-European Summit in Bonn on June 21, then fly to Ljubljana, Slovenia the afternoon of the same day. In Ljubljana, he will meet with President Milan Kucan and Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek and will speak at Congress Square.

After spending the night in Slovenia, Clinton will now go to Macedonia and Aviano before returning home.

Following is the White House statement on the new stops:

(begin text)

The White House is pleased to announce that President and Mrs. Clinton will visit Macedonia on June 22 and then proceed to Aviano, Italy. The President will meet with the political leaders of Macedonia and Albania, visit a refugee camp and speak to U.S. military personnel supporting the peacekeeping effort in Kosovo. Albania and Macedonia were the front-line states most affected by the conflict in Kosovo. The President would like to express his gratitude for the sacrifices and steadfast support of these two countries throughout the Kosovo crisis and to reassure the refugees that they will soon be able to return home. He will also meet with a number of organizations that continue to provide relief to Kosovars.

At Aviano Air Base, the President will have the opportunity to thank the men and women in uniform who performed admirably during the NATO's air campaign.

(end text)

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