Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Chairman Eduard Shevardnadze of the Republic of Georgia
Whitewater Investigation
Q. Mr. President, can you tell us whether you or the First Lady were ever briefed after those meetings that have now been brought under question by the Special Counsel?
The President. I'm going to have a questionand-answer session after Chairman Shevardnadze and I have our meeting, and I'll be glad to answer some questions then.
Q. Would you answer that question later for us?
The President. I'll be glad to answer questions, yes.
Republic of Georgia
Q. What can you tell us about your meeting today with Mr. Shevardnadze? Are you able to offer more help? Are you concerned about recent developments in Russia and what threat they may provide to his country?
The President. Well, the United States has strongly supported Chairman Shevardnadze and the territorial integrity of Georgia. We've done our best to be good allies, and last year we tried to help with aid and we will do so again this year.
We want to talk a little about what can be done to help with peacekeeping efforts there and about other matters that affect their destiny in Georgia, including, obviously, events in Russia and other countries in the region. So I've really looked forward to this meeting for a long time. And I have many questions; I'm going to be listening hard today.
Q. [Inaudible]—U.N. troops there? U.N. troops to Georgia?
The President. Well, we want to talk about that today. We're going to have a visit about that.
NOTE: The exchange began at 12:05 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.
William J. Clinton, Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Chairman Eduard Shevardnadze of the Republic of Georgia Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/219045