Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Assistance to Refugees of Nagorno-Karabakh

The United States is contributing more than $2,150,000 to the American Red Cross (ARC) to provide emergency food and shelter for Armenian refugees who have fled the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and are currently in Armenia.

The ARC will use these funds to provide food assistance to 15,000 families. This assistance will be in the form of monthly food parcels meant to supplement nutritional shortfalls experienced by the refugee population. The funds will also be used to provide emergency shelter in the form of winterized tents. These tents will provide emergency shelter for up to 5,970 persons.

This assistance is in addition to U.S. Government contributions to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of more than $2,840,000 in support of its humanitarian aid to war victims, refugees, and other vulnerable groups in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. These contributions together provide a total of $5 million for humanitarian assistance to Armenian refugees and victims of conflict since January 1992.

In addition to these contributions, the President has authorized $2 million in U.S. Government support for a CSCE Observer Force to promote a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The President has also offered Armenia $15 million under the Food for Progress program.

They are an expression of the administration's support for the Armenian Government led by President Levon Ter-Petrosyan and of our commitment to help achieve a lasting peace in the area.