    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [May 22, 1991]
    [Pages 533-534]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters on Soviet-United States Relations
    May 22, 1991

        The President. I just wanted to spread good will. No questions, no
    questions.
        Q. Why not?
        The President. Spreading a little--well, because mostly the answers
    are already out there. [Laughter] But I just wanted to say everything is
    fine.
        Q. How did the Moiseyev meeting go, Mr. President?
        The President. As far as I'm concerned, it went very well. We don't
    have all the results yet, obviously, but I talked to our experts, and
    they thought there was some progress out of our meeting. But it's at a
    stage where we need some confidential discussions going on. But I was
    pleased with it.
        Q. Well, can you discuss at all----
        Q. ----this week and on track a summit by----
        The President. I hope so, I hope so. Well, there's two questions, as
    you know: CFE and START. But one thing I came away with was the idea
    that they genuinely want to resolve both these matters, and I really
    felt that.
        Q. Well, is this a political matter or military matter at this
    point? Is the political will there but the military resist----
        The President. No, I think it's an arms control matter. It's an
    interpretation of arms control agreements, and it's highly technical.
    But you know, there's some question as to whether the Soviets had wanted
    a deal or whether we did. And the answer is: we both do. So, I think--
    the experts told me after the Moiseyev meeting that they felt there was
    some reason to be optimistic. Now, whether that held true after yet
    further meetings last night----
        Q. Do you think they'll pull those divisions out, make them part of
    the----
        The President. Well, I don't know. I don't know. But it's----
        Q. That's sort of the problem on CFE.
        The President. Well, on the total limits--the full limits, counting
    on the full limits, that everything has got to be accounted for.
        Q. So, you're optimistic about a summit then?
        Q. If that's resolved this week----

    [[Page 534]]

        The President. I can't quantify it. I just say the talks went
    reasonably well. But there's some story that we don't want a summit, and
    that's crazy. And I've assured Gorbachev of that personally.
        It's great having you guys back on the plane again. It's wonderful.
        Q. You don't want him in London?
        The President. Who said I don't want him in London?
        Q. Some anonymous official quoted by the New York Times says----
        The President. That story is totally erroneous, I regret to say--
    totally.
        Q. What does that mean?
        The President. That means that it's wrong.
        Q. You want him at the economic summit? You'd like him there?
        The President. No decisions have been taken on that. If his coming
    there can help with the reform and genuinely help with the reform, why,
    that would be a very, very important matter. But that story I can
    categorically say is wrong. And there was another one that said the same
    theme--somebody is peddling an erroneous line. We are dealing straight
    with Gorbachev; we're not playing games with him. I think he knows that,
    and I think Moiseyev knows that.
        Q. A June summit?
        The President. It's been a pleasure, gang, it's been a great
    pleasure. Great pleasure to be with you.

                        Note: The exchange took place in the morning aboard
                            Air Force One while the President was en route
                            to St. Paul, MN. In his remarks, President Bush
                            referred to Gen. Mikhail Moiseyev, Chief of the
                            General Staff of the Soviet Union, and Soviet
                            President Mikhail Gorbachev.