Memorandum on Determination on the Eligibility of Western Samoa To Be Furnished Defense Articles and Services Under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act

Presidential Determination No. 93-13

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 503(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2311(a), and Section 3(a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, 22 U.S.C. 2753(a)(1), I hereby find that the furnishing, sale, and/or lease of defense articles and services to the Government of Western Samoa will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.

You are directed to report this finding to Congress and to publish it in the Federal Register.

GEORGE BUSH

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Washington, January 6, 1993.

Justification for Presidential Determination of Eligibility of Western Samoa To Be Furnished Defense Articles and Services Under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act

Section 503 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and Section 3(a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (the Act) require, as a condition of eligibility to acquire defense articles and services from the United States, that the President find that the furnishings of such articles to and services to the country concerned will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.

U.S. relations with Western Samoa have improved markedly since the establishment of embassies in Apia and Washington in 1988 and 1990. A functioning democracy since independence 1962, Western Samoa follows a friendly pro-Western foreign policy. Its national elections in April 1992 were the country's first held under universal suffrage. Western Samoa has a shared heritage with American Samoa and many of the nationals of that U.S. territory have relatives in Western Samoa. It has a market economy in which fishing plays a major role. The United States is actively considering providing International Military Education and Training (IMET) funds for Western Samoa in FY 93. Access to the Foreign Military Sales System (FMS) would provide an effective vehicle by which the Western Samoa Government can purchase educational and other materials related to the IMET program.

In addition, Western Samoa recently established a maritime guard. This service will help the country monitor fishing activities in its waters. Secondary functions will be disaster relief, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and environmental pollution control. This improved capability will enable Western Samoa to better control its resources and thus will contribute to its development. We anticipate that Western Samoa will look to the U.S. and other friendly countries as potential sources for the procurement of defense articles and services to sustain that capability.

Providing defense articles and services to Western Samoa will further our long-term goals of promoting democracy, stability, and economic development in Western Samoa and will thereby strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.