THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 30, 1996

September 30, 1996

                                     Presidential Determination
                                     No.       96-56           

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

  SUBJECT:       Determination to Authorize the Drawdown of 
                 Commodities, Services, and Training from the 
                 Department of Defense for the Economic Community 
                 of West African States' Peacekeeping Force 
                 (ECOMOG) Under Section 552(c)(2) of the Foreign 
                 Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 552(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2348(c)(2) ("the Act"), I hereby determine that:

       (1) as a result of an unforeseen emergency, the provision 
       of assistance under Chapter 6 of Part II of the Act in 
       amounts in excess of funds otherwise available for such 
       assistance is important to the national interests of the 
       United States; and
  
       (2) such unforeseen emergency requires the immediate 
       provision of assistance under Chapter 6 of Part II of the 
       Act.

I therefore direct the drawdown from the inventory and resources of the Department of Defense of an aggregate value not to exceed $10 million in commodities and services to provide assistance to states currently participating (Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Mali), and for those states that may in the future participate, in ECOMOG to enhance ECOMOG's peacekeeping capabilities to bring about a peaceful solution to the crisis in Liberia.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to report this determination to the Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

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