[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[May 4, 1991]
[Pages 468-469]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 468]]


Exchange With Reporters Aboard Air Force One
May 4, 1991

    The President. I really have nothing to say in addition to what I 
said yesterday, but I just want to welcome you on this beautiful--what a 
day out there. Fantastic. It is so beautiful. We're going off to this 
graduation there, the first graduation speech of the year out here at 
the University of Michigan, where they're really expecting, I think, a 
large number of people.

Commencement Address

    Q. What are you going to talk about?
    The President. Just general--kind of theory--life its own self, as 
my friend Dan Jenkins would say. Try to stay awake, Lori [Lori Santos, 
United Press International]. ``Life Its Own Self.'' [Laughter] Did you 
ever read, you know, his book?
    But everything's rather calm. You were going to ask about the 
graduation?

U.S. Military Bases in the Philippines

    Q. No, I was going to ask: Is the United States going to be forced 
to leave its bases in the Philippines?
    The President. Well, I don't think so, but we're having negotiations 
still going on, but it's still no deal. And we've made clear the limits 
beyond which we are certainly not prepared to go. I think the Philippine 
leaders understand that. But this isn't any carte blanche operation. 
This isn't any blank check. And we've gotten a very strong negotiator in 
Rich Armitage there, who has made clear to the Philippine leaders what 
the United States position is. But it's too early to say. They go up and 
down in these negotiations.
    Q. Are you willing to walk away from the Philippines?
    The President. We've told them that there are certain--a point 
beyond which we cannot go. But it's a very important facility there. I 
think the polls in the Philippines show strong support from the people, 
but there are some political leaders who are of a different persuasion. 
But it'll work out; I'm not too troubled by it. There are a lot of other 
problems out there.

Administration Travel Policy

    Q. Is Governor Sununu with us today?
    The President. He's down giving a graduation speech today.
    Q. Where?
    The President. I think it's in Florida.
    Q. How did he get there? [Laughter]
    The President. Ask him. He's following instructions, as I've said. 
But this would be considered clearly an official trip, any time you go 
out like this.
    Q. Is that review about over?
    The President. Yes, it's getting close.
    Q. Up on your desk?
    The President. No, but we're very close to coming out with these 
changes that I've said would be forthcoming.

Alaska Oilspill Reparations

    Q. What did you think about the collapse of the Exxon agreement?
    The President. Well, I don't really have a judgment on that. I mean, 
I think that both sides now agree to just go and try to litigate, and 
that's, in a sense, too bad. But on the other hand, that's their right. 
The State has a right to call it as they see it, and so does Exxon. So, 
they'll work it out. It's a good one for us to stay out of.

Iraq

    Q. Are we trying to establish a permanent zone for the Kurds as part 
of the war reparations of Iraq?
    The President. I wouldn't phrase it that way. I've always said that 
we were not interested in a dismembered or fractionated Iraq. That's not 
our--I made that so very clear from the very beginning that there 
shouldn't be any question about that one.
    Q. Some London newspaper--15 units--plan for a----
    The President. I don't know. I didn't see that, and that's certainly 
not official policy. But certainly we want these people's lives to be 
protected against this violence that's been wrought on them for many, 
many years. It's been going on forever, and it's terrible. But I'm a 
little pleased with the

[[Page 469]]

way that's going out there now, too. America has done what it always 
does: stand up and try to help people. The operation is superb. I just 
hope that there will be a peaceful resolution, so they can all go back 
to their homes, which is what they want to do.
    Hey, thanks a million for being with us on this trip. We appreciate 
you fellas being along, too.
    Q. Thanks for inviting us.
    The President. Well, that's all right.

                    Note: The exchange began at 8:45 a.m. while the 
                        President was en route to Ann Arbor, MI. In his 
                        remarks, the President referred to author Dan 
                        Jenkins; Richard L. Armitage, Special Negotiator 
                        for the future status of U.S. access to military 
                        facilities in the Philippines; and John H. 
                        Sununu, Chief of Staff to the President. A tape 
                        was not available for verification of the 
                        content of this exchange.