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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
Taken Question of December 15, 1993
1. RUSSIA
Q: What is the status of aid to Russia? What has been given to
them already? What has been committed and what is it's status. What
has been promised? What is in the pipeline?
A: AT THE VANCOUVER SUMMIT, THE U.S. ANNOUNCED A $1.6 BILLION
PACKAGE OF ASSISTANCE FOR RUSSIA FOR FY 1993. THE PACKAGE REPRESENTED
MONIES THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN AUTHORIZED AS WELL AS NEW MONIES FOR
CONCESSIONAL FOOD SALES. THE VANCOUVER PACKAGE INCLUDED $690 MILLION IN
GRANT TECHNICAL AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND $930 MILLION IN
CONCESSIONAL FOOD SALES AND OTHER CREDITS. A HALLMARK OF THE VANCOUVER
PACKAGE HAS BEEN SPEEDY IMPLEMENTATION. SINCE APRIL, VIRTUALLY ALL OF
THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED AND OVER HALF HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY SPENT.
--THE ADMINISTRATION IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF PROGRAMMING THE $2.5
BILLION NIS ASSISTANCE PACKAGE PASSED BY CONGRESS IN LATÿE SEPTEMBER.
APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF THIS PACKAGE WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARDS
RUSSIA. THE FUNDING WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THREE CATEGORIES OF
ASSISTANCE: MARKET ECONOMIC REFORM (PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, A
SPECIAL PRIVATIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING FUND FOR RUSSIA, TRADE AND
INVESTMENT, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT, AND SUPPORT FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL AND
HOUSING); DEMOCRACY INITIATIVES; AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. --
CONGRESS HAS ALSO APPROPRIATED $400 MILLION IN FY 1994 FUNDS TO SUPPORT
DENUCLEARIZATION PROGRAMS IN THE NIS. THIS AMOUNT IS IN ADDITION TO THE
$800 MILLION TOTAL MADE AVAILABLE FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN FY 1992 AND FY
1993. A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE DIRECTED
TOWARDS RUSSIA. (###)