[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 46 (Monday, November 22, 1999)]
[Pages 2399-2400]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Assistance for Southeast Europe

November 18, 1999

    I am pleased that yesterday in Brussels the international community 
pledged over $1 billion in new assistance to consolidate peace and 
promote economic recovery in Kosovo. I am particularly pleased that our 
European partners committed the lion's share of this amount, with the 
European Commission and EU members together pledging over three-quarters 
of a billion dollars and additional pledges from other European states.
    These contributions will not only provide a significant boost to 
economic revitalization and reconstruction but also help to fund public 
administration, establish a civil emergency service corps, strengthen 
public security and the rule of law, promote market reforms, and 
encourage private investment. We did our part by announcing plans to 
provide $157 million for Kosovo, pending final action on the budget 
before Congress.
    Today at the OSCE summit in Istanbul, Europe demonstrated its strong 
leadership in support of recovery and stabilization throughout southeast 
Europe. I welcome European Commission President Prodi's intention to 
have the EC provide nearly 12 billion euros (approximately $12.5 
billion) of assistance to the region during 2000-2006. Such a 
substantial package will create tremendous opportunities for those 
countries and affirm in the strongest terms European support for their 
transformation. We are continuing our assistance programs to encourage 
political and economic reform and advance the region's integration with 
the rest of Europe.

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