Here are the relevant paragraphs from Colin Powell's Commencement speech at Harvard. I am copying them from the June 18/93 issue of THE HARVARD GAZETTE without permission: "Certainly the military has problems. We don't always meet the high standards we set for ourselves We will continue to encounter challenges to our traditions and our policies, and we will take them on and solve them. "We took on racism. We took on drugs. We took on scandals such as Tailhook. And we found answers to them that made us stronger and even more relevant to the society around us. "We will do the same with the controversial issue of homosexuals in the military. "The controversy is caused by two conflicting interests. On the one hand, the interests of gay and lesbian Americans who want to be allowed the privilege of serving. On the other, the need for cohesion within the military and the rights of privacy for all who serve. "The President has given us clear direction to reconcile these interests. I believe we are near a solution that will do so. Whatever is decided I can assure you the decision will be faithfully executed to the very best of our ability." Also in that issue, the following from a press conference he gave at Harvard after delivering his speech. "Reporter: On the issue of homosexuals in the military you indicated in your speech that you thought you were near some sort of solution. Could you tell us what that solution might be and could you clarify again your position on that? Has it changed at all since the compromise issue has come up? "Powell: I don't want to get into details because we are not there yet. We have had two study groups working in the Pentagon. They will be making their recommendations to the leadership of the Pentagon shortly and then obviously we will take those recommendations into consideration and discuss them with the president. But I think we are getting close. The president has a deadline of July 15 and I certainly think we will meet that deadline. My position is that the president had made a decision on this issue back in late January when he said that he wanted to move forward, change the policy, and he asked us to take six months to examine it for the purpose of seeing how to do it, as well as [see] what effect it would have on the force. So I have been supporting the president's position even since then. Now previously to that, everybody knows the advice that I gave to the president and previous leaders that I have worked for, but since the president gave his guidance, we've been working hard to try to execute that guidance -- that is what we intende to do. "Reporter: What about the "don't ask/don't tell" compromise that came up is that something that you would support -- "Powell: -- I really don't want to align myself to any shorthand description of what our future policy might be. I think it is better for all of us to wait until we have got a policy that we can announce to the whole world at one time and be in a position to explain it thoroughly. "Reporter: Can you tell us if there is any policy that you envision where openly gay people would be allowed to serve in the military--any version at all--or do you still maintain your initial objections that any kind of declared homosexuality is detrimental to the good order and morale of the forces? "Powell: I'm just not going to get into a discussion of the details of the policy until those details have been worked out and we're prepared to announce it. You can be sure that whatever is decided upon I will support fully. "Reporter:In the bio provided by Harvard on your life you are quoted as saying, "I'm also mindful that the struggle against racism is not over until every American is able to find his or her own place in our history, limited only by his or her own ability or his or her dram." Do you believe the same is true for openly gay men and lesbians in the military? "Powell: I have no problem with openly gay men or women in our society. Whatever someone wants to do with respect to their sexual orientation in our society is within their rights. Within the military, though, there is a great deal of discrimination. Discrimination has to serve a particular purpose. The purpose is to enhance the cohesion and fighting ability of the force. And there are also privacy considerations related to that. So the military has always been a unique and different part of society. And the policies we have had in the past, which we are now in the process of studying how to modify, are not policies that I would impose on any other part of our society. I hope you would see that there is a set of concerns that deal with the cohesion in the military and the privacy rights of all Americans who serve. And they just can't be instantly waved away. My responsibility is to the nation, to all the people in the nation, but especially to a very large number of Americans who give up a great deal of their rights and privacy and, frankly, are discriminated upon when they come into the military. So we are trying to coome up with a solution that would be seen as proper, consistent with the president's decision, workable, and fair. "Reporter:How does lifting the ban negatively affect the privacy of people in the military? "Powell: I really don't want to use this opportunity to get into all the factors and details associated with the old policy, because we're trying to structure a new one, and I don't want to set off long trains of speculation of what we might come up with. "Reporter:Can we get your reaction to the signs that were put up and catcalls during your speech? Obviously all those people were upset at what they construe as your view of the issue of homosexuals in the military. "Powell: I respected their right to express their point of view, not only this afternoon, but especially this morning where there was a greater demonstration of that point of view. It is their right to do that. I've spent most of my career making sure they have that right. I'm also pleased they gave me the opportunity to receive the degree and make my remarks this afternoon with minimum interference. I leave here with a clear understanding of the depth of feeling in parts of the Harvard community with respect to this issue. But it didn't in any way bother me or offend me and I respected them and I respect the point of view that they hold."