[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 30 (Monday, July 30, 2001)]
[Pages 1101-1102]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on the Charter for Coordinator of United States Assistance to 
Europe and Eurasia

July 25, 2001

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Charter for Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and 
Eurasia

    The United States has a vital stake in a stable and secure Europe 
and Eurasia. Maintaining effective support for the expanding free market 
and promoting the democratic transformation of the formerly Communist 
societies of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union 
remain among our highest foreign policy priorities. Over the past 
decade, bilateral assistance programs under the ``Support for East 
European Democracies (SEED) Act'' of 1989 and the ``Freedom for Russia 
and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets (FREEDOM) Support 
Act'' of 1992 have played an important role in advancing democratic and 
economic reforms in the formerly Communist countries of the region. 
Other projects funded through legislation, such as the Cooperative 
Threat Reduction Act of 1993, have advanced our denuclearization and 
nonproliferation objectives.
    Despite remarkable progress in many countries, the ultimate success 
of reform efforts across the region is by no means assured. This fact, 
combined with budget realities that constrain the level of funding for 
our bilateral assistance to the region, makes it imperative that our 
assistance be as targeted, relevant, and efficient as possible.
    To achieve maximum coordination of efforts that promote such reforms 
and policies within the executive branch, I hereby designate Ambassador 
William B. Taylor, Jr., to serve as the SEED Program Coordinator, in 
accordance with section 601 of the SEED Act, and to continue serving as 
Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to the Newly Independent States (NIS), in 
accordance with section 102 of the FREEDOM Support Act.
    Ambassador Taylor's responsibilities will include:
 1.          designing an overall assistance strategy for each SEED and 
            FREEDOM Support Act country;
 2.          overseeing program and policy coordination among United 
            States Government agencies;
 3.          pursuing coordination with other countries and 
            international organizations;
 4.          ensuring proper management and oversight by agencies 
            responsible for implementation of assistance programs; and
 5.          resolving policy and program disputes among United States 
            Government agencies.
    Ambassador Taylor will also act as Chairman of the Assistance 
Working Group of the interagency Europe-Eurasia Policy Coordinating 
Committee.
    In fulfilling these duties, Ambassador Taylor will preside over the 
allocation of U.S. assistance resources. He will direct and coordinate 
the interagency process of development, funding, and implementation of 
all United States Government bilateral assistance, trade, and investment 
programs related to the SEED and FREEDOM Support Act countries.
    To enable Ambassador Taylor to carry out these responsibilities 
effectively, the Departments of Defense, the Treasury, Justice, State, 
Commerce, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Energy; the Agency 
for International Development, U.S. Customs Service, Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, Immigration and Naturalization 
Service, Peace Corps, Environmental Protection Agency, National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Trade and Development Agency, 
Export-Import Bank, and all other executive departments and agencies 
with activities related to bilateral assistance and export and 
investment activities in the SEED and FREEDOM Support Act countries are 
directed, to the extent permitted by law, to bring all programs and 
budget plans for such assistance and activities to Ambassador Taylor for 
review before submission to the Office of Management and Budget, and 
before implementation. Ambassador Taylor

[[Page 1102]]

shall ensure that all such plans are consistent with Administration 
priorities and policies. Heads of such entities shall designate an 
appropriate official to assist Ambassador Taylor in accomplishing the 
objectives of this mandate.
    Ambassador Taylor will work with the U.S. Ambassadors to the SEED 
and FREEDOM Support Act countries to strengthen coordination mechanisms 
in the field and increase the effectiveness of our assistance and export 
and investment programs on the ground. Assistance activities in the 
field will be coordinated by Ambassadors or their designate.
                                                George W. Bush

Note: This memorandum was released by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on July 26.