[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 1995)]
[Pages 2148-2149]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Jose dos Santos of Angola 
and an Exchange With Reporters

December 8, 1995

Angolan Peace Process

    President Clinton. Hello. I'd like to say that I'm very pleased to 
welcome President dos Santos and his party here to Washington. He's 
taken some bold steps to move the peace process forward, and we 
understand this has made possible some changes in our relationship with 
Angola.
    It's obvious that some further things will have to be done in light 
of the recent cease-fire violations. But we know that President dos 
Santos is critical to the success of the peace process, and we look 
forward to a good relationship with a reconciled, peaceful, and stable 
Angola.
    Q. Do you think there can be peace in your country, Mr. President?
    President dos Santos. I believe so. But first of all, I would like 
to thank the--of welcome by President Clinton, to thank also for the 
kind invitation to visit the United States at this time of year.
    I would like to restate our commitment to the peace process. We will 
do our best for this process to become irreversible, and to--
[inaudible]--possible. And we are convinced that with assistance from 
the United States of America and from the international community in 
general, peace will be consolidated and a new page will be opened in 
Angola.
    We mark our presence here with you to discuss issues regarding 
bilateral relations. We are convinced that our visit will serve

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to deepen the friendship between the United States of America and Angola 
and will set up the basis to establish a trade exchange for more 
investors to go to Angola in order for them, together with us, to launch 
into the adventure of economic reconstruction and to consolidate peace 
and national reconciliation.

U.S. Aid to Angola

    Q. Will he be asking for aid for his oil industry during his visit, 
and how much aid will he be asking for if he is?
    President dos Santos. We've come to thank you for the assistance 
that has been given to us, the assistance that has been given to us to 
maintain peace. But we also intend to go from this phase of assistance 
to trade and investment. There are sectors whereby we will be together 
with the United States of America, and one of those sectors is the oil 
sector, where the big investments from the United States will be. In 
other words, we want more investment, not only in the oil sectors but in 
other sectors of our economy which are open.

Government Shutdown

    Q. Do you think there's going to be a Government shutdown again?
    President Clinton. I certainly hope not. I have done exactly what 
I've said I'd do. I vetoed the budget that was passed, and then I made 
an alternative budget, which I presented yesterday, that fulfills the 
criteria of the resolution: it's a 7-year budget; it protects Medicare, 
Medicaid, education, the environment; it doesn't raise taxes on working 
people. That's the commitment that I made, and I hope that it will be 
taken as a good-faith gesture by the Republicans, and we'll have some 
further negotiations.
    Now, apparently, they're deciding what they want to do. But I have 
done what I think I should do, and this budget would be good for 
America. It will balance the budget and keep our commitments to our 
future, to our children, to our environment, and to the health care 
system of this country.
    Q. Will you try to keep them in session if they close down the 
Government?
    The President. Well, let's see. I think--that is December 8th? We've 
got a week, and I think they're waiting for--maybe to do some 
calibrations of their own on their own numbers. I don't know, but I 
don't think we should assume that this thing is going to break down. I'm 
prepared to work as hard as I can to do anything I can to keep working 
to try to resolve this in a positive way. That's why I presented this 
budget and why I hope that they will respond in good faith, just as I 
have.

Note: The President spoke at 11:41 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.