    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [June 1, 1991]
    [Pages 592-594]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters on Soviet-United States Relations
    June 1, 1991

        The President. Well, good news on CFE. We're very pleased, of
    course. The agreement was achieved under the original
    limits, which is good--[inaudible]--under

    [[Page 593]]

    the original limits. And so, I think it's a good thing for world peace,
    and I think it's very good for U.S.-Soviet relations. The agreement, of
    course, has to be acquiesced to by a lot of other countries besides
    ours, but I think we feel that the deal is guaranteed. Others will go
    along because it is fair. And others were very anxious that we take the
    lead role and try to work out what heretofore were differences.
        So, we have that one under control. We're still going to work the
    START problem. When I asked Moiseyev, General Moiseyev, about it, he
    held up his fingers like that, and he said, ``That's about the amount of
    difference.'' Now, Brent can go into detail if he wants to on it, but
    we're talking about a problem, particular problem, that won't be overly
    easy to solve. But nevertheless, we're going forward positively. And
    that, of course, will clear the decks for a Moscow meeting that I want
    to see very much. So, it's a good day. This is an important step that
    was taken in Lisbon.
        And in a sense, it masks another thing--[inaudible]--and that is the
    peace talks or the meeting resulted after a lot of diplomacy, and some
    of it on our part--Chester Crocker and Hank Cohen and Secretary Baker--
    in bringing these factions in Angola together. That is an important
    thing that happened and it may get obscured because the arms control
    announcement came out of Lisbon also.
        When I saw Cavaco Silva of Portugal--[inaudible]--we ought not to
    underestimate the importance of that, peace on the continent of Africa
    after all this time. So, it's a good day.
        Q. Does this affect your thinking on whether or not to invite Mr.
    Gorbachev to the London economic summit?
        The President. It doesn't affect this at all.
        Q. Would you have your own superpower summit before the London
    summit? Is it that close?
        The President. Well, I don't know. Brent and John Sununu are trying
    to sort out the scheduling problems. But as far as I'm concerned, as
    soon as we get the remaining details out of the way, the sooner, the
    better. And I think President Gorbachev wants that. Of course, the G-7
    meeting is set, so it would have to be either before or after. I don't
    think it's that critical whether it's before or after, but my view is
    that we're getting close on time, getting closer to scheduling problems
    for me and maybe for him. So, we don't know the answer really.
        Q. Are you closer right now so that you want to nail it in its
    entirety before the summit?
        The President. We want to get it down so we can sit down and say,
    hey, we've got agreement on START. Whether that means sign a paper with
    everything written on it----
        Q. Or initial a framework or something----
        The President. Yes, I think it should be the framework because that
    means then that we've worked out some gritty details that still plague
    us.
        But the point is, this is good on its own merits, and also, I think
    it will help. Now we've seen that we both can overcome difficulties, and
    our experts now can go forward. And I will assure the Soviets that I
    will instruct our experts to lean forward as far as possible. And as I
    remember, he told me the same thing. So, I view it as an optimistic
    happening there and something good for our country.
        Q. What did you think about the $250 billion price tag on the Soviet
    aid package?
        The President. I don't--[inaudible]--talk to the Soviets. I've
    talked to Gorbachev and nobody yet has a price tag on anything.
        Q. Wasn't that what they asked for----
        The President. I don't know what they asked. I was talking about
    what they've talked to me about. And I expect if there's some firm price
    tag of that nature, why, they'd want the United States--[inaudible].
        Q. Have you talked to Gorbachev in the last couple of days? Do you
    expect to talk to him now with the breakthrough?
        The President. I talked to him a few days ago--well, I could well do
    it because we're very pleased, and I'm sure he is. But I have no
    schedule of a phone call, and we did talk a few days ago.
        Q. Are you going to announce MFN this weekend? You have only a
    couple more

    [[Page 594]]

    days.
        The President. On----
        Q. The Soviets--on extending the deadline of June 3d.
        The President. Well, as I told them, we're looking at the emigration
    bill. We encouraged them to go forward with the bill; they've done that.
    But I just want to be sure of the details. We're not holding back. We're
    trying to just be sure we know what we're doing.
        Listen, I've got to get out of here so I get there before you guys
    do.

                        Note: The exchange began shortly after noon aboard
                            Air Force One, prior to the President's
                            departure from West Point, NY. The President
                            referred to Gen. Mikhail Moiseyev, Chief of the
                            General Staff of the Soviet Union; Brent
                            Scowcroft, Assistant to the President for
                            National Security Affairs; Chester A. Crocker,
                            former Assistant Secretary of State for African
                            Affairs, and Herman J. Cohen, the current
                            Assistant Secretary; Secretary of State James A.
                            Baker III; Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva of
                            Portugal; Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev;
                            and John H. Sununu, Chief of Staff to the
                            President.