[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[November 20, 1992]
[Pages 2168-2169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Announcing the Agreement on Agricultural Trade With the European 
Community
November 20, 1992

    I want to salute Secretary Madigan and Ambassador Carla Hills, and 
my announcement relates to their work. I am exceptionally pleased to 
announce that the United States and the European Community's Commission 
have reached unanimous agreement on an agricultural package that should 
enable us to press forward the global trade negotiations to a successful 
conclusion.
    These global trade negotiations, the so-called Uruguay round under 
the GATT, are fundamental to spurring economic growth, creating jobs 
here at home and indeed all around the world. I am hopeful that the 
breakthrough that we achieved today will spur movement across-the-board 
in the ongoing negotiations among all the GATT parties in Geneva so that 
we can achieve this comprehensive, global, and balanced agreement that 
we've sought for so long. In addition, by agreeing to solutions to our 
differences on oilseeds and other agricultural disputes, we've avoided a 
possible trade war, and that is very, very important.
    I am particularly pleased that Ambassador Hills and Secretary 
Madigan are here with us today because they've done extraordi-

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nary work to achieve this historic result--I salute their teammates who 
are with us here today as well--and also because they will remain with 
you to answer your questions. Some of this is very, very technical. And 
they know how proud I am of their work. I've seen them in action both 
here and abroad, hammering out this agreement. It's taken a long time, 
but it was sound.
    It's been a long and difficult course to the result that we've 
achieved today. I recall these extensive and frequently vigorous--I've 
chosen the word carefully--discussions on agriculture and other trade 
issues at the economic summit that we hosted in Houston in 1990 and at 
each of the summits that followed. But I am now absolutely convinced 
that the work was well worth it. I talked to Prime Minister John Major 
this morning, had an opportunity to thank him for his key role as the 
current President of the EC.
    The next step then will be for the United States and the EC and all 
the other parties in the Uruguay round to return to the negotiating 
table in Geneva prepared to show the flexibility necessary to bring 
these negotiations to a successful close.
    So, once again, I salute our partners in all of this. And I 
certainly salute our extraordinarily effective team that has been able 
to bring this about. And with no further ado, I will turn it over to 
them to take all your questions.

                    Note: The President spoke at 12:10 p.m. in the 
                        Briefing Room at the White House.