[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
[April 11, 1991]
[Pages 359-360]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following Discussions With President Jacques Delors of the 
European Economic Community and President Jacques Santer of the European 
Council of Ministers
April 11, 1991

    President Bush. I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet with 
two friends, the EC Council President Jacques Santer and Commission 
President Jacques Delors. We gather at a time of extraordinary challenge 
and opportunity throughout the world. Our victory in the Gulf--
collective victory in the Gulf--has proven that international 
cooperation can defeat aggression and lay the groundwork for new 
international cooperation.
    As part of our mutual efforts to deepen U.S.-EC cooperation, we 
discussed a wide range of issues today. We talked about the situations 
in the Middle East, in Europe--East and West--and in the Soviet Union.
    I'm happy to report that we see eye to eye on these issues and that 
the EC is prepared to take on growing responsibilities. For example, 
we're going to work together to support reform in Eastern Europe. They 
are vitally interested in that, have been doing a lot in that regard. We 
agreed to continue to encourage the people of Yugoslavia to work out 
their differences peacefully and through democratic dialog.
    Presidents Santer and Delors and I reviewed the situation in the 
Soviet Union. We agreed to encourage constructive Soviet involvement in 
world affairs and to support constructive domestic reform within the 
U.S.S.R.
    We also discussed, obviously, the Middle East. This administration 
values the excellent support we received from our European friends and 
allies in the Gulf crisis, and we continue to work with them on what we 
must do to help create a stable environment to promote peace and 
prosperity in that region.
    Presidents Santer and Delors and I also reviewed the massive and 
urgent U.S. and European relief effort currently underway for the Iraqi 
refugees and displaced persons in Turkey, northern Iraq, and Iran. To 
ease the human suffering caused by Saddam's brutality and repression of 
his own people, the United States and the European Community are working 
to get urgently critical supplies of food and shelter and medicine to 
the refugees as quickly as possible. A number of European nations are 
cooperating with the United States in airlifting these supplies to 
Turkey and to concentrations of refugees in the largest relief effort 
mounted in modern military history.
    We had a broad and useful discussion of our views of Europe after 
the Paris CSCE summit. Of particular interest to us are the EC's plans 
for greater political and economic union. And I reiterated our support 
for European integration and our shared interest in the development of a 
European security in the transatlantic alliance. We reaffirmed our 
mutual commitment to continuing transatlantic cooperation on issues 
involving our mutual security, foreign policy, on our economic 
interests.
    And we also talked about our hopes for renewed progress on the 
Uruguay round. In a world increasingly defined and bound by economic 
interests, we all have an interest in free and fair trade. An open 
trading regime would permit each of us to build on our strengths and 
take advantage of the

[[Page 360]]

others' strengths. I reiterated my desire to gain renewal of Fast Track 
trade authority. And we all agreed to work for rapid progress on the 
Uruguay round.
    From the standpoint of the United States of America, this has been a 
very constructive visit. And I might say parenthetically, and I hope the 
two Presidents here agree, that the relationship between the EC and the 
United States is strong and good.
    Mr. President, welcome. All yours, sir.
    President Santer. Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I want to 
express my gratitude to President Bush for inviting the President of the 
European Commission, Mr. Jacques Delors, and myself, in my capacity as 
President of the European Council, to the White House for a mutual 
exchange of ideas.
    It is the very first time that the President of the United States 
receives both the President of the European Council and the President of 
the European Commission in the new context created by the Transatlantic 
Declaration of November 1990.
    The talks we had together have been very fertile for both sides and 
they have taken place in an excellent atmosphere. I would particularly 
like to point out that both sides have submitted their concerns with 
considerable fairness and that all items raised have been discussed with 
utmost frankness.
    In my capacity as acting President of the European Council, I am 
particularly pleased with the fact that the United States of America and 
the European Community have many points of convergence, especially in 
the regard of the reorganization of Europe after the political upheavals 
in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This can only have 
positive repercussions on the restructuring of the European Continent.
    It is evident that the date of this visit is opportune, favorable, 
and well-chosen. The Gulf war, which the United States of America and 
their partners in Europe have won in a perfect solidarity, is over now. 
At present, we are facing new challenges which are direct and immediate 
consequences of this conflict. First, the dramatic situation of the Kurd 
refugees in Turkey and Iraq. And second, the launching of the peace 
process in the Near and Middle East, a process that should bring durable 
and definitive peace in the whole region.
    I'm fully convinced that through these talks, we have laid the 
foundation of an intensification of dialogs between the United States of 
America and the European Community and, hence also, of a closer 
cooperation including security.
    Thank you very much.
    President Bush. Thank you, Mr. President. Good to see you all.

                    Note: President Bush spoke at 1:29 p.m. at the South 
                        Portico of the White House. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.