[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
[March 29, 1993]
[Pages 367-368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters in Little Rock, Arkansas
March 29, 1993

Aid to Russia

    Q. Sir, three-quarters of Americans say we're already giving enough 
aid to Russia.
    The President. We give a lot more money than we give to Russia to 
smaller countries. We've got a big interest there. And I realize that 
the responsibility is on me to communicate to the American people any 
kind of pay package I propose and to justify it. That's my 
responsibility, and I intend to assume it.
    Q. Where would you get another billion dollars, sir?
    The President. We're working on the details of it. We'll be able to 
announce something----
    Q. Are you concerned by these latest poll

[[Page 368]]

figures, sir, that many Americans, 75 percent of the Americans, think we 
already give the Russians enough?
    The President. Well, foreign aid is unpopular in every country in 
the world, and it's always been unpopular here. And I haven't really had 
a chance to talk much directly to the American people about what's going 
on there, what our stake in it and what their stake in it is, what the 
American people's stake in it. The American people are smart enough to 
know that we can't determine the course of events in Russia all by 
ourselves. They know that. But we can have an impact on it. And my job 
as President is to convince the citizens of this country that they have 
an immediate and personal interest in the outcome of events. I think I 
can do it, and I'm going to do my best.

Note: The exchange began at 11:05 a.m. outside the U.S. Male barbershop. 
A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.