Statement by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Speakes on Soviet-United States Cultural and Educational Exchanges

August 5, 1986

United States and Soviet Union officials today concluded a week of discussions on expanding cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges between our two countries. These discussions were arranged to implement the agreement reached between the President and Soviet leader Gorbachev last year at the Geneva summit to increase cooperation and contacts and to expand opportunities for people in our respective countries to communicate directly with one another. Thirteen cooperative programs in the areas of education, higher education, health, sports, and culture were agreed upon, and about 19 more are under active discussion.

A Soviet intergovernmental delegation composed of representatives of the U.S.S.R. Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Culture, Education, Higher Education, Health, and the U.S.S.R. Committee on Sports also met with representatives of 28 private organizations in the United States which will be participating in the exchanges initiative. This reflects the President's conviction that the participation of the American private sector is essential to the success of these programs. The programs agreed upon today are an important step in fulfilling the commitments made by both leaders at Geneva.