[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 40 (Monday, October 11, 1993)]
[Page 1960]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks and an Exchange With Reporters on Russia

 October 3, 1993

    The President. Ladies and gentlemen, I have received a rather 
extended briefing on what we know about what is going on in Russia, and 
I want to make a couple of comments about it. First of all, it is clear 
that the violence was perpetrated by the Rutskoy-Khasbulatov forces, 
that there has been significant violence today in Moscow. It is also 
clear that President Yeltsin bent over backwards to avoid the use of 
force, to avoid excessive force from the beginning of this, and I still 
am convinced that the United States must support President Yeltsin and 
the process of bringing about free and fair elections. We cannot afford 
to be in the position of wavering at this moment or of backing off or 
giving any encouragement to people who clearly want to derail the 
election process and are not committed to reform in Russia. So we are 
following events moment by moment. As you know, we have access to 
television coverage there so you are also pretty current on it. But that 
is the most I know now, and that is our position.
    Q. Do you think that Yeltsin can survive, Mr. President, and will 
you cut off aid if he is deposed?
    The President. Well, I don't expect him to be deposed. I wouldn't 
overreact to this, now. I think the people clearly stand far more 
supportive of him than the Rutskoy-Khasbulatov and they seem--they don't 
have any organized military support that we're aware of. So we'll just 
have to wait for developments, but I have no reason to believe that he 
would be deposed.
    Q. Mr. President, have you spoken to President Yeltsin?
    The President. No. I'm sure he's got more important things to do 
right now than to talk to me, and I don't think the United States should 
be involved in the moment-to-moment management of this crisis, but I do 
want him to know of my continued support and the support of the United 
States.
    Q. What can the U.S. Government do right now?
    The President. Well first of all, we can get as much intelligence, 
as quickly as possible, about what's going on, and we can do our best to 
look after the safety of the Americans who are there and the security of 
the Embassy, which has received some attention from our folks, and so 
far the reports on that are good.
    Q. Do you have any plans to cancel your trip or postpone your trip 
in any way?
    The President. No.

Note: The President spoke at 12:09 p.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.