[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 29 (Monday, July 26, 1993)]
[Page 1432]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.