Night Owl 9/Night Owl CD-ROM (NOPV9) (Night Owl Publisher) (1993).ISO/044a/wh930404.zip/4-4A.TXT

Internet Message Format | 1993-04-05 | 7KB

From @lex-luthor.ai.mit.edu:[e-mail] Mon Apr  5 06:11:17 1993
Date: Sun, 4 Apr 1993 20:57-0400
From: The White House <[e-mail]>
Subject: President's Remarks in Vancouver  4.3.93
To: [e-mail]

0604
 Clinton Remarks In Vancouver Saturday, April 3
 To: National and Foreign Desk
 Contact: White House Press Office, 456-2100

   VANCOUVER, B.C., April 3/U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the
text of remarks by President Clinton at Mackenzie House today.

   The President: Thank you very much. I want to begin by
thanking the Prime Minister and Canada for hosting this meeting
between President Yeltsin and me. I want to thank also the Prime
Minister for his leadership in support of the process of
democracy and reform in Russia and the Canadian effort to support
that process, which has recently been announced. We have worked
together very, very closely in the last few weeks to mobilize
support among the G-7 for the process of democracy and reform.
And he deserves a good share of credit for many of the positive
actions which will be taken in the days and weeks ahead.
   I thank him for that and for hosting this. And I look forward
to the meeting with President Yeltsin.

   Q: Mr. President, there's some concern that any U.S. aid, now
that -- or any Western aid that may pour into Russia now could be
wasted. Is there a danger at this point that you could actually
give Russia too much Western aid?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, I think there is -- I guess there are
two concerns that you might have. One is that any aid itself
might not be well spent. The other is that future political
events might undermine the impact of the aid. As far as the
second risk is concerned, that is there, it is clear. But you
could say that about any effort we might make anywhere, including
in our own country, that future events might undermine the impact
of present action. We are proposing to take action to support
democracy and to support economic reform.    Now, in terms of
making sure the money is spent properly, that it's the right kind
of aid, I have spent a significant amount of time on this. We
have put together a very good team. I will be consulting in
significant detail with President Yeltsin about this. I think
that the kinds of things we propose to do are likely to have
lasting and tangible impact and will minimize -- the way we
propose to do it will minimize the chance that the money will be
squandered.

   Q: Does that mean control, sir -- control on the money spent?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: No. You'll see. We're working on it.  I
think you'll like it.

  Q: Mr. President, on the way over here, President Yeltsin
mentioned a figure of $100 billion in connection with the cost
that Germany has to pay -- had to pay for East Germany.  Is that
a realistic figure in your mind?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, he didn't mention it. I know what he
said when he got here, and he went out of his way to say that the
amount of the money wasn't as important as the kind of support.
Germany had to spend a lot of money on Germans to integrate their
country. It's a different and I don't think entirely analogous
situation.
   I believe what you will see building up over the next few
weeks is a very significant effort by the G-7 and perhaps by
other countries as well to support a long-term process of
development in Russia. To go back to the first question, it is
important that the efforts that are made be targeted and be
designed to produce and support reform and lasting and tangible
benefits to the people in Russia in ways that help the security
and the economy of all the countries that are helping.
   So I think I look at this as a long-term effort, and I think
it would be a mistake to put a short-term dollar figure on it.
Yes Mark?

   Q: How much pressure do you feel under, going into this two-
day event? And what are the big unanswered questions in your mind
-- the things that, despite all your preparation, you still don't
know the answers to?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: I don't feel under any pressure. I'm glad
that this day has arrived. I welcome the chance that the United
States has to support the millions of courageous people in Russia
who have stood up for democracy and have had the courage to go
through some very difficult times, and I might add, to support
the people in the other newly independent states of the former
Soviet Union who are going through equally difficult economic
times and striving hard for democracy.  I welcome that
opportunity.
   The only unanswered questions I have are the same ones that
you have. I don't know what's going to happen. None of us do.
But I think that -- I would just remind you all -- it's something
I said in my speech at Annapolis -- in 1776 the United States
adopted the Declaration of Indepndence. It was well over a decade
before we actually settled on a Constitution and got around to
electing a President.
   And the Russians are trying to undertake three fundemental
changes at once -- moving from a communist to a market economy;
moving from a tyrannical dictatorship to a democracy; and moving
to an independent nation state away from having a great empire.
And these are very difficult and unsettling times. But I think
that the direction is clear -- the direction that they ought to
take -- and I'm not troubled by the fact that I can't control
that process or that I don't know the outcome of it. We just need
to weigh in and do what we can to do what's right.

   Q: Mr. President, why don't the majority of Americans think we
should be sending more aid to Russia?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think there are probably two or three
reasons. First of all, historically in our country foreign aid
has never been popular. And that's why I have gone out of my way
to show that this is the establishment of a partnership which
will be mutually beneficial. This is not in any way an act of
charity that we are engaged in. It doesn't have anything to do
with that.
   Secondly, the American people are preoccupied with their own
problems. We've got one million fewer jobs in the private sector
that we have three years ago. Unemployment is high. Incomes have
been stagnant for years. We have serious challenges at home, and
they want to know that we're putting those first.
   Then I think the third thing is the question that you asked in
the beginning. They want to know that if we're going to do
something, they want us at least to go to extra efforts to make
sure that the money is well spent and is in the long-term benefit
of both countries.

   Q: Are both of you confident that you can get Japan on side
with some big bucks for this venture and to ignore the Northern
Ireland issue?

   PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, let me say this. I had a very good
talk with Prime Minister Miyazawa last night. The Japanese have
been very forthcoming as the leaders of the G-7. This is their
year to lead and they are leading. They are hosting this meeting
of the finance and foreign ministers on the 14th and 15th. And I
believe that they will fulfill their leadership role. I'm
encouraged.
   Thank you very much.
  -0-
 /U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/