[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[November 18, 1999]
[Pages 2110-2111]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Assistance for Southeast Europe
November 18, 1999

    I am pleased that yesterday in Brussels the international community 
pledged over $1 billion in new assistance to consolidate peace and 
promote economic recovery in Kosovo. I am particularly pleased that our 
European partners committed the lion's share of this amount, with the 
European Commission and EU members together pledging over three-quarters 
of a billion dollars and additional pledges from other European states.
    These contributions will not only provide a significant boost to 
economic revitalization and reconstruction but also help to fund public 
administration, establish a civil emergency service corps, strengthen 
public security and the rule of law, promote market reforms, and 
encourage private investment. We did our part by announcing plans to 
provide $157 million for Kosovo, pending final action on the budget 
before Congress.
    Today at the OSCE summit in Istanbul, Europe demonstrated its strong 
leadership in support of recovery and stabilization throughout

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southeast Europe. I welcome European Commission President Prodi's intention to have the EC provide nearly 12 billion 
euros (approximately $12.5 billion) of assistance to the region during 
2000-2006. Such a substantial package will create tremendous 
opportunities for those countries and affirm in the strongest terms 
European support for their transformation. We are continuing our 
assistance programs to encourage political and economic reform and 
advance the region's integration with the rest of Europe.