[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.