Message to the Senate transmitting the Belarus-United States investment treaty

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 3, 1994

September 23, 1994

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Republic of Belarus Concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investment, with Annex, Protocol, and related exchange of letters, signed at Minsk on January 15, 1994. Also transmitted for the information of the Senate is the report of the Department of State with respect to this Treaty.

This bilateral investment Treaty with Belarus is the sixth such Treaty between the United States and a newly independent state of the former Soviet Union. This Treaty will protect U.S. investors and assist the Republic of Belarus in its efforts to develop its economy by creating conditions more favorable for U.S. private investment and thus strengthening the development of the private sector.

The Treaty is fully consistent with U.S. policy toward international and domestic investment. A specific tenet of U.S. policy, reflected in this Treaty, is that U.S. investment abroad and foreign investment in the United States should receive national treatment. Under this Treaty, the Parties also agree to international law standards for expropriation and compensation for expropriation; free transfer of funds associated with investments; freedom of investments from performance requirements; fair, equitable and most-favored-nation treatment; and the investor or investment's freedom to choose to resolve disputes with the host government through international arbitration.

I recommend that the Senate consider this Treaty as soon as possible, and give its advice and consent to ratification of the Treaty, with Annex, Protocol, and related exchange of letters, at an early date.

William J. Clinton

The White House, September 23, 1994.

NOTE: This item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate issue.