    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [March 11, 1991]
    [Pages 243-244]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Michel
    Rocard of France
    March 11, 1991

        Q. Mr. Rocard, are the French still pressing for a Middle East
    conference?
        The Prime Minister. We are pressing for a solution. And we think in
    the Middle East, as I think the American authorities inferred--the
    President, President Bush, who said that last week--the Israelis and
    Palestinians have to find an issue. And if the international community
    can contribute to create the conditions for their direct meeting, any
    type of institution of conference would be useful--the heart of the
    matter, the substance, more than the procedure. It was proposed once--
    one. We do hope there will be a solution anyway, and I'm sure the United
    States and France will act in a converging way to permit a solution.
        The President. That I'm certain of. You know, one of the great
    things about this recent effort was that we were just solidly together.
    And I think that sent a very strong signal to others around the world.
    And I hope you will convey to the President my thanks and my sentiments
    of deep appreciation on behalf of the American people. Because France is
    a key, terribly important country with special knowledge and interest in
    that part of the world. And we just came together at the U.N. and
    elsewhere, and it was a wonderful thing.
        So, carry my thanks back to everybody that was involved, please,
    sir, including yourself.
        The Prime Minister. Mr. President, thank you very much for those
    words. We were happy to be, again, very close together, as we have been
    in many difficult periods of history. But there again, we are very close
    in acting together and having victory together.
        The President. That's right. That's right. I mentioned your
    distinguished General, my French is terrible, but Roquejeoffre.
        The Prime Minister.  Roquejeoffre. Marvelous.
        The President. Pretty close, pretty close. But General Schwarzkopf
    was very high in his praise of him and the way he conducted the French
    forces, led the French forces.
        So, all of that worked out. You remember in the very beginning there
    were all these predictions with these different countries, that it would
    be very hard to sort out a proper structure for coordinating them. And
    it came fine.
        The Prime Minister.  Quite well.
        The President. Probably better coordinated than the politicians.
        The Prime Minister.  And the idea to--soldiers of both countries
    under the same command----
        The President. Now, we've got some business to do, so with all
    appreciation for this interest and concern, thank you very much.
        Helen [Helen Thomas, United Press International], you didn't say a
    word today.
        Q. Thanks for not answering any questions.
        The President. That's all right. You're welcome. [Laughter]

                        Note: The exchange began at 10 a.m. in the Oval
                            Office at the White House. In his remarks,
                            President Bush referred to President Francois
                            Mitterrand of France; Gen. Michel Roquejeoffre,
                            commander of the French

    [[Page 244]]

                            forces in the Persian Gulf; and Gen. H.
                            Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of the

                        U.S. forces.