    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [July 22, 1993]
    [Page 1165]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement by the Press Secretary on the President's Meeting With
    Chairman Stanislav Shushkevich of Belarus
    July 22, 1993

        In an Oval Office meeting, President Clinton today congratulated the
    head of state of Belarus, Stanislav Shushkevich, for the historic
    decision his country has taken to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty
    (NPT). The President praised Chairman Shushkevich for the support
    Belarus has given to the cause of nonproliferation.
        The President noted that Belarus is the first of the newly
    independent states of the former Soviet Union to fully honor its
    commitments under the Lisbon Protocol to ratify START and accede to the
    NPT. He applauded this courageous step, stating that under the
    leadership of Chairman Shushkevich, Belarus has been in the forefront of
    the global effort to safeguard mankind from the threat of nuclear
    destruction.
        The President announced that this week our countries have signed
    three agreements providing for $59 million in assistance under the Nunn-
    Lugar legislation for projects aimed at dealing with the legacy of
    nuclear weapons in Belarus. We expect to be working closely with Belarus
    in the near term to develop additional projects.
        President Clinton also stressed the strong interest of the U.S. in
    expanding economic ties with Belarus, particularly in trade and
    investment opportunities for American and Belarusian firms. He expressed
    his hope that the U.S. and Belarus will conclude soon a bilateral
    investment treaty, a tax treaty, and a Peace Corps agreement.
        Chairman Shushkevich's visit to Washington represents the
    President's first official meeting in the United States with the head of
    state of one of the newly independent states.