Memorandum on Determination To Authorize the Furnishing of Non-Lethal Emergency Military Assistance to the States Participating in the Economic Community of West African States' Peacekeeping Force (ECOMOG) Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended

Presidential Determination No. 96-55

Memorandum for the Secretary of State [and] the Secretary of Defense

Subject: Determination To Authorize the Furnishing of Non-Lethal Emergency Military Assistance to the States Participating in the Economic Community of West African States' Peacekeeping Force (ECOMOG) Under Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2318(a)(1) ("the Act"), I hereby determine that:

(1) an unforeseen emergency exists which requires immediate military assistance to states currently participating in, and to states which may in the future participate in, ECOMOG; and

(2) the emergency requirement cannot be met under the authority of the Arms Export Control Act or any other law except section 506 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 $5 million in defense articles from the stocks of the Department of Defense, defense services of the Department of Defense and military education and training to provide assistance to the states currently participating (Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea), 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 Congress and to arrange for its publication in the Federal Register.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, September 30, 1996.