[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 39 (Monday, October 4, 1993)]
[Page 1945]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the Foreign Operations Appropriations Legislation

 September 30, 1993

    Today I have signed into law H.R. 2295, the Foreign Operations 
Appropriations Act, which includes $2.5 billion in assistance for Russia 
and the other new independent states of the former Soviet Union. I am 
grateful for the bipartisan cooperation by the leadership and many other 
members of Congress who acted quickly to pass this package of 
assistance.
    Enactment of this bill marks a major advance in our strategy to 
enlarge the world's free community of market democracies.
    This bill also contains vital support for Israel and Egypt and other 
measures related to the Middle East peace process. The Congress's timely 
passage of these provisions, soon after the dramatic advances of the 
past few weeks, shows our Nation's commitment to peace in the Middle 
East.
    The elements of the bill supporting Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, and 
the other new independent states include: the U.S. contribution for a 
multilateral Special Privatization and Restructuring Program, a G-7 
initiative that will support the privatization of large Russian 
enterprises; financing for joint projects in the energy and 
environmental sectors, including programs to increase the safety of 
nuclear reactors; expansion of the President's Democracy Corps 
initiative begun at the Vancouver Summit; and humanitarian assistance 
for those parts of the former Soviet Union where food and medicines are 
still desperately needed.
    Recent events in Moscow highlight the urgency of helping Russia and 
the other states of the former Soviet Union sustain the momentum of 
democratic and economic reform. This bill makes a solid investment in 
our own national security and prosperity, enabling us to reduce the 
amount we spend for national defense while offering a hand of 
partnership to former adversaries who are making the difficult 
transition to the institutions of market democracy.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
September 30, 1993.

Note: H.R. 2295, approved September 30, was assigned Public Law No. 103-
87.