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                            THE WHITE HOUSE
                     Office of the Press Secretary
                            (Lyons, France)

For Immediate Release June 28, 1996

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The United States welcomes the results of the recent Arusha Summit meeting at which the heads of state of Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, along with representatives from Zaire and the OAU, agreed to prepare a joint security assistance plan to help the Burundian authorities bring peace and stability to that troubled country. The U.S. hopes this initiative can play an important role in halting the ongoing violence in Burundi.

The cooperation exhibited by the Burundi President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister and National Security Council in crafting this initiative and recommending its adoption to participants at the Arusha Summit is a laudable breakthrough and demonstrates the continued utility of responsible authorities joining together to end the violence. This same spirit of cooperation and mutual support will be essential to bring reconciliation to Burundi. We salute the efforts of those leaders involved and call on the people of Burundi to seize this opportunity to find a path toward lasting peace.

The United States will continue to play an active role in support of regional and international efforts to forge an endearing settlement to the conflict in Burundi. The Special Envoy of the President and Secretary of State for Burundi Peace Negotiations Howard Wolpe and Rwanda/Burundi Special Coordinator Richard Bogosian are en route to the region to discuss ongoing peace efforts and implications of the recommendations of the Arusha Summit.

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