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Congress, but I think they’ll do the right three years and cited the important impact thing. this aid has had on the success of reform in . NOTE: The President spoke at 12:08 p.m. in the President Clinton and President Snegur Oval Office at the White House. A tape was not discussed the inauguration of new programs available for verification of the content of these remarks. in 1995 to assist Moldova in creating its first stock exchange, to help emerging small busi- nesses in the regions outside Chisinau, to ex- Joint Statement With President pand a program of technical assistance and Mircea Snegur of Moldova training in agribusiness development, and to January 30, 1995 establish a permanent office of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund in Chisinau. President At the invitation of President Clinton, Snegur requested that the fur- President Mircea Snegur of the Republic of ther its efforts to promote U.S. investment Moldova made a working visit to Washington. in Moldova, underlining that a favorable legal During their discussions on January 30, the framework has been established to achieve two leaders welcomed the strong state of this goal. The Peace Corps will initiate an U.S.-Moldovan relations, which have ex- Economic Development Program, expanding panded considerably since diplomatic con- its current work to include volunteer advisers tacts were established in 1992. for small businesses and local entrepreneurs. President Snegur described the substantial Moldova and the U.S. Department of Agri- progress made toward economic and demo- culture are finalizing an agreement for $10 cratic reform in Moldova. He mentioned that million in concessional food sales in 1995, prices in Moldova have been completely lib- and an additional $2 million in food dona- eralized, and reaffirmed his government’s tions. The Department of Agriculture will commitment to reduce government subsidies also fund at least 16 Moldovan participants and privatize commercial enterprises. Noting in the Cochran Fellowship Program for 1995, Moldova’s success over the past year in re- which provides training programs in the ducing inflation and maintaining the value of United States for selected agricultural spe- its currency, President Snegur pledged to cialists. President Clinton announced the continue working closely with international United States will seek beneficiary status for financial institutions such as the International Moldova under the Generalized System of Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The Preferences (GSP). Such a step is designed Moldovan President reviewed the demo- to promote greater bilateral trade through cratic parliamentary elections conducted in tariff reductions on various commercial February 1994, and the adoption of a new items. During his visit to the White House, constitution enshrining respect for demo- President Snegur and Vice President Gore cratic government and fundamental human signed the Globe Bilateral Agreement for rights. Cooperation. The Globe program, initiated President Clinton praised Moldova’s eco- by the United States, is an international envi- nomic and political development, which has ronmental science and education program placed that country at the forefront among that will bring students, teachers and sci- the new independent states of the former So- entists together to study the global environ- viet Union, and reiterated continued U.S. ment. support for Moldovan reforms. President President Snegur discussed with President Clinton announced that Moldova will receive Clinton the status of negotiations toward a $22 million in technical assistance in fiscal peaceful settlement of the separatist dispute year 1995, targeted primarily on privatiza- in Moldova’s eastern Transdniester region. tion, economic restructuring, health and ex- He assured President Clinton of his commit- changes. This brings the total of U.S. assist- ment to a peaceful, negotiated settlement of ance to Moldova since 1992 to well over $200 the dispute in accordance with international million. President Snegur expressed his ap- standards and in cooperation with the inter- preciation for U.S. assistance over the past national community, including the Organiza-

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tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe activities. The two leaders reaffirmed their (OSCE). President Snegur described recent support for coordinated international efforts, progress in negotiations to reestablish eco- through such structures as the OSCE and nomic links between the communities on the , to promote peaceful so- both sides of the Dniester River, and to for- lutions to regional conflicts. mulate a special status for the Transdniester President Clinton and President Snegur region within a unified Moldovan state. expressed the belief that the visit by Presi- President Clinton lauded President Snegur dent Snegur contributed greatly to further for Moldova’s exemplary approach toward strengthening bilateral relations. President peaceful resolution of this internal political Snegur expressed his warm appreciation to dispute. He reaffirmed the United States’ President Clinton and the people of the Unit- support for the independence, sovereignty ed States for the opportunity to visit. and territorial integrity of Moldova and ap- plauded its positive human rights record, par- NOTE: An original was not available for verifica- ticularly its treatment of national minorities. tion of the content of this statement. President Clinton reiterated that the United States would continue to promote a settle- ment of the Transdniester dispute, including Remarks to the National Association through its cooperation with the OSCE. of Home Builders President Snegur reviewed the status of January 30, 1995 negotiations between Moldova and concerning the withdrawal of the Russian Thank you very much. Thank you, Tommy, 14th Army, noting the importance of the Oc- for your introduction, and thank you for all tober 1994 framework agreement establish- of the hard work you’ve done as president ing a three-year withdrawal timetable. Presi- and the work you’ve done with us. I also want dent Clinton expressed his expectation that to send my best wishes to your new presi- Russia and Moldova would implement the dent, Jim Irvine. I look forward to working terms of the agreement expeditiously and closely with you, Jim, and with your entire comprehensively, paying particular attention association. to the withdrawal of military equipment. The Let me begin by doing something I wasn’t two presidents welcomed the OSCE’s con- supposed to do. You know, my staff told me structive role in following the implementa- I didn’t have time to stay and answer ques- tion of the withdrawal agreement and search- tions, and then the gentleman who preceded ing for a lasting political solution of the prob- me didn’t get a chance to answer the ques- lems in the eastern part of Moldova, as called tion. So I’ll answer it the best I can here for in last month’s OSCE Budapest Summit. off the top of my head with regard to the President Clinton and President Snegur deficit, because it will set up what I want noted the great strides made in recent years to talk about in a moment. toward overcoming the division of the Euro- When you make your income tax check pean continent and opening the way for clos- out in April about—well, over a third of it er cooperation among the European states. will go to pay interest on the national debt, During President Snegur’s visit to the Penta- and about 28 cents of it will go to pay interest gon, he and Defense Secretary William Perry on the debt accumulated between 1981 and signed a Joint Statement on Future U.S.- 1993 in January when I took office, in just Moldovan Defense and Military Relations. that 12 years alone. President Clinton welcomed Moldova’s deci- To give you some idea of the contrast: only sion to participate in the Partnership for about a nickel of your income tax check Peace, an important component in an emerg- would be required to pay for welfare and for- ing new security concept for Europe. Under eign aid put together. So it is a very serious the Warsaw Initiative, the United States will problem. We estimate within a couple of seek to provide Moldova assistance in the years interest on the debt will be more costly next fiscal year to complement Moldova’s than national defense every year, which is own resource commitments for Partnership why I’ve worked so hard on it.

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