[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[February 19, 1991]
[Page 153]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters on the Soviet Peace Proposal for the Persian 
Gulf Conflict
February 19, 1991

    Q. Mr. President, is the Soviet proposal acceptable to you?
    The President. Let me just make one comment, and then I won't take 
any questions about it. But I do appreciate President Gorbachev's 
providing me a copy of his proposal--of the Iraqi proposal, or his 
proposal to Iraq actually--concerning the Gulf, the conflict there. And 
we provided last night comments to the Soviet Union.
    Let me just reiterate. As far as I'm concerned, there are no 
negotiations. The goals have been set out. There will be no 
concessions--not going to give. And so on his proposal, President 
Gorbachev asked that I keep the details of it confidential. And I'm 
going to do that. I will respect that request in the interest of 
thoroughly exploring the initiative.
    But, very candidly--and I've been frank with him on this while 
expressing appreciation for his sending it to us--it falls well short of 
what would be required.
    And I would leave it right there for now.
    Q. Does that mean we're going to have a ground war?
    The President. That means I'm going to leave it right there for now.

                    Note: The exchange began at 10:05 a.m. in the 
                        Cabinet Room at the White House. President Bush 
                        referred to President Mikhail Gorbachev of the 
                        Soviet Union.