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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release December 12, 1994

STATEMENT BY THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY ON BULGARIA

President Clinton has invited Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev to meet with him in Washington on February 13, 1995. The two leaders are expected to discuss the situation in the Balkans, Bulgaria's integration into the expanding community of democratic nations and U.S. efforts to support economic reforms and the democratic transition in Bulgaria. Presidents Clinton and Zhelev met briefly during the CSCE Summit in Budapest in early December.

A leading Bulgarian dissident during the communist era which ended in 1989, Zhelyu Zhelev was elected president in 1991. President Zhelev has implemented a constructive foreign policy which has made Bulgaria a source of stability in the Balkans. Under his leadership, Bulgaria has renounced territorial claims against its neighbors, enforced U.N. sanctions against Serbia/Montenegro, improved its relationships with Turkey, Greece and Romania, and was an early signatory of the Partnership for Peace framework agreement.

In addition to his meeting with the President, President Zhelev will meet with senior U.S. government officials as well as leaders of international financial and business organizations.