Focus on the environment. (international environmental policies)(includes statement by President George Bush on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and article on 'Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958-1960, Volume XV')

Acting Secretary Announces Environment Initiative for New Independent States

The United States will fund a $35-million environmental initiative in the former Soviet Union, Acting Secretary Lawrence Eagleburger announced on October 29 at the Tokyo Conference on Assistance to the New Independent States. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that environmental quality goes "hand-in-hand" with economic and democratic reforms.

Mr. Eagleburger said the United States will concentrate on specific challenges and also seek to effect legislative and policy reforms and promote cooperation with US environmental organizations.

Although the program is still in the formative stage, its general outline is emerging. The US Agency for International Development and the Environmental Protection Agency will implement this program over a 4-year period.

The largest portion of funding will help promote the growth of an indigenous private sector in environmental management and develop a market for US environmental know-how; the program will also focus on institution-building and environmental policy development.

The proposal will promote public participation by providing funding for non-governmental organizations and media public awareness campaigns and will encourage democratic participation in addressing environmental problems.

Given the extent of the problems and the limited availability of US assistance, most financing will have to be generated internally, from the private sector overseas, and the multilateral banks.

The US strategy seeks to strike a balance among the various forms of assistance to reach both near- and long-term goals. It also is designed to involve government representatives, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. The US Government will provide technical assistance and training through the use of US expertise and environmental technologies.

Specifically, US assistance will focus on:

* Building an effective environmental regulatory and management structure;

* Promoting environmental and other technological cooperation;

* Reducing the health and economic costs of …