[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.