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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                       (Los Angeles, California)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                      June 14, 1998

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Nigeria: Presidential Call to Nigerian Head of State Abubakar

President Clinton telephoned newly installed Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalam Abubakar on Sunday, June 14, to convey U.S. hopes for a credible and lasting transition to civilian democratic government in Nigeria, by October 1, as reiterated by General Abubakar in his first address to the Nigerian people.

The President reaffirmed the friendship of the United States for the people of Nigeria and underscored our desire for improved bilateral relations in the context of Nigeria taking swift and significant steps toward a successful transition to a democratically elected civilian government.

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