[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[October 14, 1992]
[Pages 1819-1820]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Russian Action To Resolve 
Questions Concerning the Korean Airlines Flight 007 Incident
October 14, 1992

    Russian President Boris Yeltsin met today in Moscow with U.S. 
Ambassador Robert Strauss and family members of Americans killed in the 
Soviet shootdown of Korean Airlines flight 007 in September 1983. 
President Yeltsin offered his condolences to the American people, the 
American families of the victims, and the other countries involved. He 
also transferred to the United States important documents and 
information concerning the shootdown from Soviet archives, including 
information pertaining to the aircraft's black box.
    The President is deeply grateful to President Yeltsin for this 
courageous effort to resolve the many questions which still linger from 
one of the cold war's greatest tragedies. President Yeltsin's actions 
dem-

[[Page 1820]]

onstrate once again the benefits from the new U.S.-Russian relationship 
which is grounded in cooperation, respect, and a commitment to forge 
together a new era of peace.
    Today's meeting followed years of discussion of the KAL tragedy 
between the United States and the Soviet and Russian Governments. The 
President and other senior American officials have raised this issue 
repeatedly during the last 2 years in an effort to discover the truth 
concerning the deaths of 63 American citizens who were aboard the 
flight.
    The delegation of American family members will continue discussions 
with the Russian Government in Moscow this week on the important issues 
that remain to be resolved, including disposition of the remains and 
personal effects of the victims which may have been uncovered during the 
Soviet search effort, the families' desire to hold a memorial service 
near the crash site, and ex gratia payments to each American family. The 
administration supports the family members in their efforts to reach a 
final resolution of all issues concerning this tragedy.