[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 5 (Monday, February 6, 1995)]
[Pages 142-143]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement With President Mircea Snegur of Moldova

January 30, 1995

    At the invitation of President Clinton, President Mircea Snegur of 
the Republic of Moldova made a working visit to Washington. During their 
discussions on January 30, the two leaders welcomed the strong state of 
U.S.-Moldovan relations, which have expanded considerably since 
diplomatic contacts were established in 1992.
    President Snegur described the substantial progress made toward 
economic and democratic reform in Moldova. He mentioned that prices in 
Moldova have been completely liberalized, and reaffirmed his 
government's commitment to reduce government subsidies and privatize 
commercial enterprises. Noting Moldova's success over the past year in 
reducing inflation and maintaining the value of its currency, President 
Snegur pledged to continue working closely with international financial 
institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. 
The Moldovan President reviewed the democratic parliamentary elections 
conducted in February 1994, and the adoption of a new constitution 
enshrining respect for democratic government and fundamental human 
rights.
    President Clinton praised Moldova's economic and political 
development, which has placed that country at the forefront among the 
new independent states of the former Soviet Union, and reiterated 
continued U.S. support for Moldovan reforms. President Clinton announced 
that Moldova will receive $22 million in technical assistance in fiscal 
year 1995, targeted primarily on privatization, economic restructuring, 
health and exchanges. This brings the total of U.S. assistance to 
Moldova since 1992 to well over $200 million. President Snegur expressed 
his appreciation for U.S. assistance over the past three years and cited 
the important impact this aid has had on the success of reform in 
Moldova.
    President Clinton and President Snegur discussed the inauguration of 
new programs in 1995 to assist Moldova in creating its first stock 
exchange, to help emerging small businesses in the regions outside 
Chisinau, to expand a program of technical assistance and training in 
agribusiness development, and to establish a permanent office of the 
Western NIS Enterprise Fund in Chisinau. President Snegur requested that 
the United States further its efforts to promote U.S. investment in 
Moldova, underlining that a favorable legal framework has been 
established to achieve this goal. The Peace Corps will initiate an 
Economic Development Program, expanding its current work to include 
volunteer advisers for small businesses and local entrepreneurs.
    Moldova and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are finalizing an 
agreement for $10 million in concessional food sales in 1995, and an 
additional $2 million in food donations. The Department of Agriculture 
will also fund at least 16 Moldovan participants in the Cochran 
Fellowship Program for 1995, which provides training programs in the 
United States for selected agricultural specialists. President Clinton 
announced the United States will seek beneficiary status for Moldova 
under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Such a step is 
designed to promote greater bilateral trade through tariff reductions on 
various commercial items. During his visit to the White House, President 
Snegur and Vice President Gore signed the Globe Bilateral Agreement for 
Cooperation. The Globe program, initiated by the United States, is an 
international environmental science and education program that will 
bring students, teachers and scientists together to study the global 
environment.
    President Snegur discussed with President Clinton the status of 
negotiations toward a peaceful settlement of the separatist dispute in 
Moldova's eastern Transdniester region. He assured President Clinton of 
his commitment to a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the dispute in 
accordance with international standards and in cooperation with the 
international community, including the Organiza- 

[[Page 143]]

tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). President Snegur 
described recent progress in negotiations to reestablish economic links 
between the communities on both sides of the Dniester River, and to 
formulate a special status for the Transdniester region within a unified 
Moldovan state. President Clinton lauded President Snegur for Moldova's 
exemplary approach toward peaceful resolution of this internal political 
dispute. He reaffirmed the United States' support for the independence, 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova and applauded its 
positive human rights record, particularly its treatment of national 
minorities. President Clinton reiterated that the United States would 
continue to promote a settlement of the Transdniester dispute, including 
through its cooperation with the OSCE.
    President Snegur reviewed the status of negotiations between Moldova 
and Russia concerning the withdrawal of the Russian 14th Army, noting 
the importance of the October 1994 framework agreement establishing a 
three-year withdrawal timetable. President Clinton expressed his 
expectation that Russia and Moldova would implement the terms of the 
agreement expeditiously and comprehensively, paying particular attention 
to the withdrawal of military equipment. The two presidents welcomed the 
OSCE's constructive role in following the implementation of the 
withdrawal agreement and searching for a lasting political solution of 
the problems in the eastern part of Moldova, as called for in last 
month's OSCE Budapest Summit.
    President Clinton and President Snegur noted the great strides made 
in recent years toward overcoming the division of the European continent 
and opening the way for closer cooperation among the European states. 
During President Snegur's visit to the Pentagon, he and Defense 
Secretary William Perry signed a Joint Statement on Future U.S.-Moldovan 
Defense and Military Relations. President Clinton welcomed Moldova's 
decision to participate in the Partnership for Peace, an important 
component in an emerging new security concept for Europe. Under the 
Warsaw Initiative, the United States will seek to provide Moldova 
assistance in the next fiscal year to complement Moldova's own resource 
commitments for Partnership activities. The two leaders reaffirmed their 
support for coordinated international efforts, through such structures 
as the OSCE and the United Nations, to promote peaceful solutions to 
regional conflicts.
    President Clinton and President Snegur expressed the belief that the 
visit by President Snegur contributed greatly to further strengthening 
bilateral relations. President Snegur expressed his warm appreciation to 
President Clinton and the people of the United States for the 
opportunity to visit.

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this statement.