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THE WHITE HOUSE

                      Office of the Press Secretary
                          (Coventry, England)
___________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                  December 14, 2000

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I welcome today's release of Edmond Pope after eight months of detention in Russia and appreciate President Putin's decision to pardon Mr. Pope.

Mr. Pope's ordeal was unjustified. It is fortunate that humanitarian considerations prevailed in the end.

I admire the impressive support Mr. Pope received from his wife and family and from Congressman John Peterson of Pennsylvania and other Members of Congress. I commend their tireless efforts on his behalf.

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