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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release September 27, 1995
                  STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
           First Roundtable Conference of Donors on Angola

The First Roundtable Conference on Donors on Angola, which opened yesterday in Brussels, Belgium, marks an important milestone on the path to lasting peace in that war-ravaged country. The United States welcomes the joint pledges made by the President of Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, and Dr. Jonas Savimbi of UNITA to implement fully the Lusaka Protocol and cooperate in rebuilding their country. Together, they reiterated their commitment to peace and appealed to the international community to support their efforts by providing reconstruction and development assistance.

The United States, represented in Brussels by a high-level inter-agency delegation led by USAID Administrator Brian Atwood, underscored its commitment to support the peace process and assist the Angolan people as they move along the path to peace. The delegation announced United States' intention to provide as much as $190 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Angola over the next two years. Since 1992, the United States has provided almost $300 million in humanitarian assistance to alleviate suffering caused by war.

The United States commends President dos Santos for inviting Dr. Savimbi to join him in Brussels, an act of leadership that demonstrates the importance he attaches to national reconciliation and reconstruction. Dr. Savimbi's public commitment to play a constructive role in post-war Angola is welcome and bodes well for Angola's future.