THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release October 5, 1993

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The President called President Yeltsin today from Air Force One to discuss the situation in Moscow. The two leaders spoke for twenty minutes. The President's purpose in calling was to express the continued, strong support of the United States for President Yeltsin and the Russian government in the wake of the political crisis in Russia.

President Yeltsin thanked the President for his support during the crisis and described the events of the last few days. He reported that order had been restored to Moscow. In response to a question from the President, he also reaffirmed his intention to hold free and fair elections on December 12 and to proceed resolutely on political and economic reform in general.

The two leaders pledged to work together to continue to build close relations between the United States and Russia. The President noted in this respect his intention to implement rapidly the $2.5 billion in economic assistance funds approved by the Congress last week for Russia and the other new states. The President added that the visits to Russia this autumn of several American cabinet officers, including Secretary of State Christopher later this month, will help to move the relationship forward.

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