[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 3 (Monday, January 24, 1994)]
[Pages 131-132]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With King Hussein of Jordan

January 21, 1994

Russia

    Q. Mr. President, with the key reformers out of the Russian 
Government, does that mean that radical reform is over in Russia?
    The President. I wouldn't go that far. Already Russia has privatized 
more rapidly than any of the other former Communist countries. They have 
a much higher rate of privatization than any of the other countries. But 
what we're concerned about obviously is whether they will be able to 
manage their inflation problem. And I think the Secretary of the 
Treasury said it the best: We're going to support democracy, and we're 
going to support the fact that Russia respects its relationships with 
other nations, and those are fundamental to our interest. How much 
economic help they can get from the international community will be 
directly related to what kinds of reforms they decide to undertake. And 
that I think is the best connection. They'll have to make those 
decisions for themselves.
    Q. Mr. President, the reformers who were pushed out were in favor of 
curbing inflation by cutting subsidies. The people who are staying on 
are the people who fear unemployment. Which is a bigger threat, and do 
you favor cutting subsidies or easing the cuts?
    The President. As I said, that's a decision they'll have to make. 
But what we offered to do and what we still offer to do is to try to 
help set up the sort of job training and unemployment and other systems, 
support systems, that any market economy has to have. You can't blame 
them for being concerned about the consequences of going to a market 
economy if they're not able to cope with them. And they need it, and so 
do all the other countries. And we're prepared to help do what we can. 
But they'll have to chart

[[Page 132]]

their course, and then we'll be there to try to be supportive.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Your Majesty, after the signing of the accords, the economic 
accords between the PLO and the Jordanians and other agreements, how do 
you see the coordination continuing, and when do you expect to meet with 
Mr. Yasser Arafat? And how do you see the peace process going in the 
next peace round, sir?
    King Hussein. I believe that--[inaudible]--very, very well and 
recent developments of--[inaudible]--encouraging. As far as coordinating 
the Palestinian--[inaudible]. And it's all part of the--[inaudible]--
everyone, I believe is, the majority of the people are convinced that 
this is the time and that you must move rapidly to--[inaudible]. But 
we're working on our agenda and all the items there, and I hope that the 
crowning achievement will be a peace treaty.
    Q. Can you see a future meeting or a near meeting between Your 
Majesty and President Yasser Arafat soon and continued coordination?
    King Hussein. [Inaudible].

Note: The exchange began at 11:15 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.