    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 23, 1991]
    [Pages 303-307]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's News Conference With President Turgut Ozal of Turkey
    March 23, 1991

        President Bush. Mr. President, welcome to the White House.
        Let me just say that we've had a very pleasant, informal visit at
    Camp David, in perhaps the worst weather I've seen up there. But in
    spite of the weather, President Ozal and I have had a chance to go over
    many issues, bilateral issues, and of course, we talked about the Gulf
    area. I had an opportunity to thank him eyeball-to-eyeball for the best
    communications I believe any two countries could possibly have had, for
    his advice, and for his steadfast adherence to principle from day one.
    The Turkish Government never wavered one inch. And

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    I'm very proud to have a chance to say that to the American people here
    today.
        Mr. President, if you'd like to say something, and then I expect
    we'll just take a few questions.
        President Ozal. First of all, I would like personally to thank
    President Bush and Mrs. Bush for exceptional hospitality you've shown us
    in Camp David.
        And we had, as the President indicated, very interesting and nice
    and very informal talks in many subjects. And I am very happy, and I
    would like to thank again.
        Just one more point. President Bush has shown very exceptional
    leadership ability during the course of this Gulf crisis. And I have
    noticed this from the beginning to the end. And I would like personally
    to thank on this and on my country--for my country, and also for many
    people, I believe, there it has shown.
        Thank you.
        President Bush. What we thought we'd do, inasmuch as there are many
    Turkish journalists here, is just alternate between U.S. and Turkish.
    And inasmuch as I'm up here, why don't I start.

    Situation in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, what is your assessment of the Iraqi Cabinet
    shake-up today?
        President Bush. Well, we discussed that at length, and I would
    simply say that Saddam Hussein appears to still be calling the shots.
    And as I have said before, normal relations with the United States
    cannot be effected with Saddam Hussein still calling the shots, still in
    power. There are some interesting Cabinet shifts, but nothing that
    appears to depart from support for Saddam Hussein's policies.
        Did you want to add to that, Mr. President?
        President Ozal. No, I think you're right. You said right.
        Q. Did President Ozal bring you a message from Saddam Hussein today?
        President Bush. No.
        Now, is a Turkish journalist----

    Turkey-U.S. Relations

        Q. Mr. President, is Turkey a better ally now than she was, say, 6
    months ago?
        President Bush. Well, I don't know how I'd quantify it, but I would
    simply say that Turkey has been a steadfast ally, a strong member of
    NATO. But I would say stronger in the sense that the American people see
    very clearly how steadfast Turkey has been in all of this. So, if you
    would rephrase it from ``stronger ally'' to say ``more appreciated
    here,'' I would certainly say, true. But the only reason I'm hedging is
    that I've always considered Turkey a fundamentally strong part of NATO
    and a very important contributor to the common security.
        Q. How would you define for the future of the relations?
        President Bush. Well, I see nothing but sunlight out there. Looks
    encouraging. We've got problems--Turkey has got some economic problems.
    We discussed them frankly. We talked to the President about that. I hope
    that the United States can continue to be helpful.
        But in terms of trying to effect a peace in the Gulf and in the
    Middle East generally, I think Turkey has a very useful role to play.
    And indeed, President Ozal suggested that they might be willing to play
    a useful role. So, as these plans develop for security and stability in
    the Gulf, peace in Lebanon, for example, peace between Israel and the
    Palestinians--getting that problem hopefully solved--I think you'll see
    more and more of Turkey making a significant contribution.

    Situation in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, did President Ozal bring you any information that
    makes you more confident that Saddam Hussein will fall sooner rather
    than later?
        President Bush. No, but I'll let him address himself to that. He
    didn't have any specific information.
        President Ozal. I didn't bring any specific information. Before
    coming here, the Iraqi Ambassador visited me. But from that talk I
    understood they're having a very difficult situation. I can only say
    that.
        Q. Do you think Saddam Hussein will survive?
        President Ozal. That I don't know. That's difficult to make an
    estimate, but it's difficult for him to stay.
        Q. President Bush, can you give us some sense of what reports you're
    getting on how

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    the rebels are doing in the south, in the north, also about clashes in
    Baghdad?
        President Bush. Well, we're getting mixed reports. Not very much on
    what's happening in Baghdad. There's a tight net thrown over any
    possible coverage coming out of there. In the south, apparently the
    rebels are still fighting hard. I think Saddam Hussein made a claim that
    it was put down, but that is not correct. In the north, it's about the
    same thing.
        So, I think it's fair to say that there's enormous consternation and
    turmoil inside Iraq today. And we're playing no part in that. But it
    shows, I think, great unrest with the rule of Saddam Hussein.
        Q. There's a sense--just to follow up--that we are playing a part,
    that military pressure is being stepped up with the planes being shot
    down, with forces staying in the area. General Powell said to that
    effect that troops were going to be in Iraq for quite some time.
        President Bush. Well, I don't think any--I think it would be
    erroneous to suggest that there's a step-up from the outside, from the
    U.S. side, on the internal problems inside of Iraq. I don't believe
    that. In fact, its forces are there and will stay there until the cease-
    fire agreement is worked out. That's been stated from the very
    beginning. We stated from the very beginning that they ought not to fly
    their aircraft. And I think they've learned now not to fly the aircraft.
    I hope so. So, I would disabuse anyone of the view that there's
    stepping-up pressure at this point from the United States.

    Cyprus

        Q. Mr. President, the Turkish Government recently offered some
    proposal to the U.N. Secretary-General for the solution on the Cyprus
    problem. Are those enough for the solution? What is your opinion, sir?
        President Bush. Are you addressing me or--yes. Well, we discussed
    the Cyprus question today. The view of the United States is we continue
    to support the mandate of the Secretary-General. We have an able
    Ambassador who's spending full time on this Cyprus question. And I have
    nothing to add to it.
        We did discuss with President Ozal--and I want to leave it for him
    to elaborate on--some ideas about the solution to the Cyprus question.
    But let's hope now, with the good will that Turkey has earned and with
    the view that the Greeks have about wanting to see this problem solved,
    that it can be solved. But I can't go--I'm not going to go into any
    specifics.
        Mr. President, do you want to comment?
        President Ozal. No, I don't want to go into specifics. But I just
    pointed out to President Bush, this problem is not 70 years old; it is
    27 years old. And it's basically among two communities which they want
    to become equal rights, I think, the Turkish community and the Greek
    community in Cyprus.

    Assistance for Turkey

        Q. Mr. President, what assurances did you give President Ozal about
    continued or increased economic and military aid beyond what is already
    in the pipeline?
        President Bush. Well, we discussed the aid that has already been
    granted. And as a matter of fact, inasmuch as he had the significant
    role to play in this, Senator Byrd, who I would consider a very staunch
    friend of Turkey and has been helpful to me in pointing out the needs of
    Turkey--we called him last night from Camp David and had a nice talk
    with him.
        But beyond that, we listened to the plea from the financial side of
    the Turkish Government, from the President itself. They have some
    problems. They need some short-term loans, and we said that we would try
    to see how we can be of further help. But we didn't go into numbers. We
    did not go into a specific funding request--I mean, funding commitments
    or things of that nature.
        I think the President understands we've got financial problems. But
    I have a much clearer view of his financial problems today. And let's
    just hope that, working with the multilateral agencies and then with our
    own Treasury, that we can be of further assistance to Turkey.
        Q. Can I just follow up? What about on the military aid component?
    What increased aid will be given?
        President Bush. Well, without going into the specific list, there
    are certain things

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    that Turkey has, things that I think would be in the interest of Turkey
    as a NATO partner. And we will be discussing those in detail with
    Secretary Cheney and others. President Ozal had a chance prior to this
    meeting to go over that with Jim Baker because, as you remember, the
    Secretary stopped by there. And incidentally, Secretary Baker was up
    there with us this morning.
        So again, I don't want to go into the detail. I'd be glad to have
    President Ozal add anything to this. But Turkey has some specific
    military requirements, and we're discussing them.
        President Ozal. Probably Turkish newspaper people know that our aim
    to have smaller but very well-organized armed forces--I mean,
    modernized. And if we could get some help on this matter, it would be
    very much appreciated. That's all.
        President Bush. The Turkish journalists--who's the next Turkish
    journalist? You're not Turkish--get out of there. [Laughter] Way in the
    back.
        Q. ----your agreement to expand the scope and the framework of the
    Turkish-American military cooperation so that it would cover non-NATO
    contingencies and missions as well?
        President Ozal. We have not discussed that.

    Situation in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, do you think that Iraq would be better off if the
    Kurds or the Shiites succeeded in toppling Saddam Hussein?
        President Bush. I don't think it's for us to try to see what will
    follow on in Iraq. All I've done is state that it will be very difficult
    for the United States--in fact, I'd say at this juncture, impossible--to
    have normalized relations with Iraq with Saddam Hussein in power. But I
    think it would be inappropriate to try to shape or suggest even what
    government should follow on. I would hope that it would be one that
    could work very compatibly with the Western powers, Western countries,
    and live happily ever after without threatening its neighbors.
        Now, the military side--I am convinced that their ability to
    threaten their neighbors has been diminished, if not eliminated. And our
    general officers, Powell and Schwarzkopf, feel that the ability of the
    Iraqis to wage offensive war against their neighbors is gone.
        But what we're looking for is stability. We're not looking for
    disorder. And we're looking for somebody that is going to lead that
    country in the ways of peace and to take the enormous resources they
    have, pay off their obligations to others, and then raise the standard
    of living for their own people who have been in a war situation for too
    many years already.
        But beyond that, I don't think it would be appropriate for the
    United States--I'll let President Ozal again comment on this--to comment
    whether it ought to be a government controlled by one element or
    another.
        Maybe you all have a different policy on this.
        President Ozal. No, I don't have a different policy. We don't mind
    what is going on in Iraq. And probably what we want to see--a more
    democratic government and more rights to the people of Iraq. That's all.
        Q. Can I follow up on that? Have you come to the conclusion that the
    case of downfall of Saddam Hussein, the power vacuum in Iraq could be
    replaced easily, and have you addressed the situation in northern Iraq?
        President Bush. Is this for me or for President Ozal?
        Q.  Both.
        President Bush. Go ahead, you're the expert in the area.
        President Ozal. I really don't know because we have been so much
    involved with only one man in power, single man in power in Iraq. And
    probably our thinking is such a way that there should be no replacement.
    But I don't think so.
        Q. Can I follow up on that? Will Turkey allow an independent
    Kurdistan in Iraq--Kurdish state in Iraq?
        President Ozal. No, I said no.
        Q. Did you discuss recent Turkish contacts with Iraqi opposition,
    namely Kurds?
        President Bush. I didn't have any discussions. Maybe others did. I
    did not.
        Yes, last one. This is the last. We really have to head----
        Q. You said the United States was staying

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    out of those internal affairs. Are you satisfied that Iran is staying
    out of the internal affairs? And could you give us your assessment of
    the way Iran has behaved from the time the----
        President Bush. Well, I'm not sure I do understand what Iran's role
    is in the south. And I'm not sure--there have been some reports of
    people going across from Iran into southern Iraq. But I haven't seen an
    estimate on it. What was your second part?
        Q. Their behavior as far as the planes, for example--they've decided
    now to keep the planes.
        President Bush. That didn't surprise us at all.
        Q. Okay. Do you want--or have you told Iran to stay out?
        President Bush. I don't believe we've made a direct representation
    to Iran of that nature.
        Q. Don't you think we should?
        President Bush. Well, I think it would be better if everybody stayed
    out and let the Iraqi people decide what they want to do. I think that
    would be much--the best approach. Yes, I would use this opportunity to
    say that. And that's what we plan to do. And so, I think that's the best
    answer to a very, very complicated question and a situation that's now
    in turmoil inside of Iraq.
        But I think that, in terms of the airplanes, it doesn't come as any
    surprise to me that Iran is not sending back a bunch of airplanes.
    Frankly, I'm very pleased that they're not. But that has little to do
    with who's intervening inside of Iraq.
        Well, thank you all very, very much.

    Hostages in Lebanon

        Q. What about the Western hostages in Lebanon?
        President Bush. Oh, I hope they get out.

                        Note. President Bush's 76th news conference began at
                            3:37 p.m. in the Briefing Room at the White
                            House. In the news conference, the following
                            persons were referred to: President Saddam
                            Hussein of Iraq; Tariq `Abd-al Jabbar Jawad,
                            Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey; Gen. Colin L.
                            Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
                            United Nations Secretary-General Javier Perez de
                            Cuellar de la Guerra; Nelson C. Ledsky, Special
                            Cyprus Coordinator; Senator Robert C. Byrd;
                            Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney; Secretary of
                            State James A. Baker III; and Gen. H. Norman
                            Schwarzkopf, commander of the U.S. forces in the
                            Persian Gulf.