    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [April 5, 1991]
    [Pages 332-334]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Meeting With Hispanic Business Leaders and an Exchange With
    Reporters in Newport Beach, California
    April 5, 1991

        The President. Is this it? A modest turnout. [Laughter] First, I
    want to thank everybody for coming here because the importance that I
    place on this Fast Track negotiating authority is critical, a highest
    priority. I look around this room and I see many who know of my interest
    in and have been terribly supportive in strengthening a relationship
    with Mexico. Mexico is in the big middle of this, and so is our free
    trade with the Europeans. The Uruguay round relies on our getting Fast
    Track authority.
        So, I'm glad to see so many of you again. And what I wanted to do on
    this point, this business point, is to encourage your strong support to
    the Members of the Congress for Fast Track negotiating authority. And if
    we get it, I believe we can get a free-trade agreement with Mexico. I
    think it will be good for the United States of America, I think it will
    be good for jobs in this country, and I think it will be darn good for
    Mexico as well.
        We're starting down that free-trading hemisphere, which is a
    wonderful concept. Those that worry about loss of jobs, they don't
    need--take a look at history. When you get this kind of an agreement, it
    expands job opportunities. And in this case, it also strengthens a
    friend, President Salinas of Mexico, who's seen on his end relations
    between Mexico and the United States have never been better. They really
    have never been better. So, that's one point.

    [[Page 333]]

        The second point I wanted to make--and we can talk about it in a
    minute--is about the human suffering in Iraq. I've just put out a
    statement that shows that we will be doing more. We've already tried to
    help with the refugees, but we're going to step that way up, and we are
    going to be dropping supplies to these Kurdish refugees. Jim Baker will
    be going to the area to talk to other countries, but starting with the
    conversations in Turkey itself--Turkey threatened by an enormous amount
    of refugees pouring across their border.
        I made my positions clear yesterday, and I'll say it again here,
    that I have no intention of putting American troops into this situation.
    We've fulfilled our objectives in that regard. But we are going to do
    what America has always done, and that is, when people are hurting and
    being brutalized, we're going to help. We're going to continue to help.
    I saluted in this statement I put out to the British and the--
    [applause]. And you know, it's heartbreaking when you see these families
    on the road, pushed out by a brutal dictator. So, we will do what we can
    to help there without being bogged down into a ground force action in
    Iraq. That is not our intention, never has been, and won't be. But we
    can help a lot, and we will. And we are, as a matter of fact.

    Aid to Iraqi Refugees

        Q. Mr. President, has the United States informed the Iraqis of your
    plans for this air drop? And if so, have they given you any kind of
    clearance or----
        The President. I wanted these guys to hear about it first, and then
    we'll notify them later on. They'll know about it now by this statement.
        Q. So, you have not formally communicated these plans then as yet?
        The President. No. It's been all--no----

    Middle East Peace Negotiations

        Q. Can you tell us also, on Secretary Baker going to the Middle
    East, is this because something has developed in the few short weeks or
    the little time that's left since he was there last, or is it because
    the window of opportunity is rapidly closing over there?
        The President. I think there's been--I have reason to be hopeful on
    it. We don't want to miss an opportunity to move forward on the peace
    process. He'll be talking about the security and stability in the Gulf
    area itself, but he'll also be talking about the question that's divided
    the Palestinians and Israelis for a long, long time. So, I think it's a
    mission that has an underpinning of hope, Norm [Norman Sandler, United
    Press International], but I don't think we're at the verge of having
    some deal, if that's what your question is.
        Q. Any new proposals?
        The President. It's not that we don't--the other side of your
    question was, or is it because the window is closing with no progress--
    and it's not that, either. It's a follow-on to an earlier trip. And of
    course, it has this dimension now of assistance to these refugees. But
    it's got both components to it.

    Aid to Iraqi Refugees

        Q. Are you prepared in any way to give asylum or to take some of the
    refugees? Apparently President Ozal is closing the border unless some of
    the other countries, the United States and Europe, will agree to take
    these massive----
        The President. I think every country should do its part, and we
    certainly would be open-minded. But certainly what I think they ought to
    do is to be able to peacefully stay in their own area, their own
    country. And that means a real difference in the way they're being
    treated. I notice that there was some offer of peaceful return, but
    that's what should happen. But the United States will do its part in the
    humanitarian sense.
        Q. Mr. President, that doesn't help the refugees that are being
    fired on by the Iraqi troops. They can have all the food and
    humanitarian supplies they need. How is this going to help them from the
    violence of the Red Guard?
        The President. I'm very much concerned about the violence and I'm
    hopeful that that will calm down. But it is not a question where the
    United States or its coalition partners plan to intervene militarily.
    We're not going to do that.

                        Note: The President spoke at 1 p.m. in

    [[Page 334]]

                            Room 1801 of the Four Seasons Hotel. In his
                            remarks, he referred to President Carlos Salinas
                            de Gortari of Mexico, Secretary of State James
                            A. Baker III, President Saddam Hussein of Iraq,
                            and President Turgut Ozal of Turkey. A tape was
                            not available for verification of the content of
                            these remarks.