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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release February 2, 1995

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

President Clinton this morning wrote to President Fujimori of Peru and President Duran-Ballen of Ecuador to express his serious concern over the continuing hostilities between Peru and Ecuador and to urge them to accept an immediate cease-fire agreement. He stressed that the fighting is a tragedy for the people of both countries.

As one of the Guarantors of the 1942 Rio Protocol, the United States has been working closely and actively throughout the current conflict with the other Guarantors -- Argentina, Brazil and Chile -- to facilitate an agreement based on this accord that would end the fighting and create conditions for a durable peace between the two countries. Intense negotiations involving the Guarantors, Peru and Ecuador are continuing in Rio de Janeiro.

In this search for peace, Secretary Christopher has telephoned both Presidents Fujimori and Duran-Ballen. Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Alexander Watson is leading the U.S. delegation to the talks in Rio de Janeiro. Our ambassadors in Quito and Lima have been in constant contact with their host governments. On January 29, the U.S. co-sponsored a resolution at the Organization of American States which urged "an immediate stop to the hostilities." The United States is prepared to participate in a mission to observe a cease-fire once one is in place.

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