Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the President's Meeting With President Nicephore Soglo of Benin

The President met for 20 minutes today in the Oval Office with President Nicephore Soglo of Benin. President Soglo is on a private visit to the United States. He will receive the African American Institute's annual Arthur Houghton Award at the United Nations in New York on November 7. The President expressed his admiration and respect for President Soglo as a champion of democracy in Africa and congratulated him on his award. He praised Benin's transition to democracy as a model for other African countries. The two leaders discussed ways in which the United States could support Benin's policy of encouraging private sector growth and the privatization of state-owned companies. The President told President Soglo that the United States was looking forward to working with him and said he was pleased that we had announced a $57 million grant for primary education in Benin.