"Culture speaks a universal language and can play a critical role in U.S. relations abroad even where America has no formal diplomatic relations", President Bill Clinton said at the first White House Conference on Culture and Diplomacy last Tuesday. "Cultural diplomacy does have the power to penetrate our common humanity," Clinton said. "Elvis Presley did more to win the Cold War when his music was smuggled into the former Soviet Union than he did as a GI serving in Germany", the president added. Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, were joined by about 160 authors, artists, diplomats, actors, actresses, poets, business leaders, foundation directors from the United States and abroad.