    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [February 27, 1991]
    [Pages 182-184]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the Conference on Marketing Economics and Management Training
    for Eastern Europe
    February 27, 1991

        Thank you very much. Nice to see all of you. Please be seated, and
    welcome, all. I'm very pleased to be here in my role as what's billed as
    a cameo appearance, in and out--[laughter]--and let you get on with the
    important work before you. But I want to welcome all of you to the White
    House. Thank you for your participation.
        A number have come from very far away: Vice President Pregl of
    Yugoslavia; the Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Mr. Pirinski; and
    Ministers from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
        Among so many others here today, George Varga from Hungary and Haile
    Aguilar from Poland, Drew Lewis--where's Drew? I don't see him. Among
    others who are not here is Drew Lewis. [Laughter] But let me just say
    this: His leadership at the Citizens Democracy Corps has been just
    fantastic. And I was hoping he'd be here so I could single him out. He's
    for lunch--okay. And of course, Dave Gergen, who I understand is ably
    moderating all of this. I salute Secretaries Robson and Eagleburger,
    too.
        Yesterday I was on the phone for a long time with Vaclav Havel, the
    President of Czechoslovakia. And I made clear to him that, though the
    Gulf obviously is dominating the news coverage and claiming a lot of our
    time, I have not lost interest, nor has anyone in our government--as
    Secretaries Eagleburger and Robson can attest to--we have not lost
    interest in what's going on in Eastern Europe. All our people here are
    experts. Bruce Gelb knows that; Mike Roskens knows. And we are delighted
    that this is going forward, this conference and these discussions.
        Historic events in Central and Eastern Europe--I called it the
    Revolution of '89--and its aftermath have indeed inspired us all. These
    countries are committed to free societies and free market economies. And
    we have been strong supporters of economic reform in Central and Eastern
    Europe through major bilateral commitments and supportive stabilization
    programs, enterprise funds for the private sectors of Poland, Hungary,
    and Czechoslovakia, and improved trade and investment relations.

    [[Page 183]]

    And I'd say from talking to our experts that the results are
    encouraging. Economic reforms are largely on track despite some very
    difficult challenges, despite some outside effects on these economies.
        I think back to a conversation that I had again with President Havel
    about the effect that that early oil increase, the spike in oil prices
    as a result of the war, had on his economy. And then I heard from other
    Eastern European leaders about the adverse effect that it had on their
    economies. So, there have been some abnormal challenges as these market
    economies begin to function.
        I think that our efforts and those of many in this room have helped
    bring positive change. And I know that the Western European countries
    are very much together in the determination that the positive change
    continue. But Central and Eastern Europeans cry out for one thing that
    our Federal Government alone certainly cannot offer, and that is private
    investment and practical free market expertise and involvement from
    Americans.
        I've stressed throughout my administration that excellence in
    education is a key element of sound growth. And educated, well-trained
    labor forces are important for mature economies, and they're absolutely
    crucial for economies in transition. And a well-informed populace lends
    support for reform. Many of you, as I indicated earlier, are already
    engaged in Central and Eastern Europe. With the great human potential
    and commitment to market economic reform, these economies of Central and
    Eastern Europe are seeking to attract trade and investment. And I just
    hope that that trend will continue.
        You have the ability to provide the world's best training in
    management and market economies. And America know-how really does run
    the gamut from higher education to the small-scale entrepreneurship.
    Universities, businesses, foundations, government all have something to
    contribute. I think that there is an important link between economic and
    political freedom. Education, free markets, and the prosperity they
    bring will reinforce political pluralism in these countries.
        The challenges that these countries face as they fundamentally
    restructure their economies are enormous. Our administration will
    continue its strong support and assistance for their vital and historic
    efforts.
        I just really wanted to come over to thank all of you. I might say,
    knowing of the interest that everyone has in the business at hand in the
    Gulf, that when I got to the office this morning the news continues to
    be very, very good, very, very heartening. I know that all Americans
    took great joy in the beginning of the liberation of Kuwait City. But
    the liberation of Kuwait, the country, is almost complete. I hope that
    those from overseas will explain this note of personal pride when I say
    I have never been more proud in my life of anybody than I am of the men
    and women of the United States Armed Forces. They have served with great
    distinction, enormous motivation from the very beginning. And I think
    what they have done to contribute to this wave of patriotism and
    demonstration to others that our country is united is absolutely superb
    and will go down in history.
        Having said all that, we're going to concentrate on ending that
    thing, ending it right, and then moving forward and staying with these
    enormous challenges that these countries face. We can be helpful there.
    Our relationship with the Soviet Union has a lot to do with how a lot of
    this goes forward, and I'm determined to see that that stays on a good
    plane. So, you caught me on an upbeat day--particularly upbeat, with the
    visit of these foreign----[applause]

                        Note: The President spoke at 10 a.m. in Room 450 of
                            the Old Execu tive Office Building. In his
                            remarks, he referred to Zivko Pregl, Vice
                            President of the Yugoslav Federal Executive
                            Council; Georgi Pirinski, Member of the
                            Bulgarian Grand National Assembly; Zdenko Pirek,
                            Czechoslovak Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
                            and Head of the Hungarian Coordination Committee
                            for Foreign Assistance; Ferenc Madl, Hungarian
                            Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the
                            Prime Minister; Polish Minister Jacek Saryusz-
                            Wolski, Coordinator of Foreign
                            Assistance to Poland and Plenipotentiary for
                            Europe; Eugen Dijmarescu, Romanian
                            Minister of State for Economic

    [[Page 184]]

                            Orientation; George Varga, president and chief
                            executive officer of Tungsram Co., Ltd.,
                            Hungary; Haile Aguilar, general manager of the
                            Warsaw Marriott Hotel; Drew Lewis, chairman of
                            the board of the Citizens Democracy Corps; David
                            S. Gergen, editor-at-large for U.S. News & World
                            Report; Deputy Secretary of the Treasury John E.
                            Robson; Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S.
                            Eagleburger; President Vaclav Havel of
                            Czechoslovakia; Bruce S. Gelb, Director of the
                            U.S. Information Agency; and Ronald W. Roskens,
                            Administrator of the Agency for International
                            Development.