[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
[December 6, 1993]
[Pages 2128-2132]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of 
Spain
December 6, 1993

    The President. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. In April, I had 
the honor and the pleasure of welcoming King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia 
of Spain to the White House. Today, on the 15th anniversary of Spain's 
constitutions, I'm delighted to welcome Prime Minister Gonzalez.
    When Spain hosted the Olympics last year, the world reveled in the 
modern bustle of Barcelona and the timeless beauty of the Iberian 
countryside. Spain's vibrant example inspires those around the world who 
are working to release market forces and political freedom from the 
shackles of the past. And few countries share as many rich cultural and 
historical ties to Spain as does America. The land on which I was born 
was once a part of the Spanish empire.
    Our two countries are friends and allies. For over a decade, Prime 
Minister Gonzalez has led Spain with vision and with purpose. In our 
discussions today, I praised the Prime Minister for Spain's achievements 
at home during his years in office and for the increasingly important 
role Spain has come to play in the international community. As a strong 
NATO ally, vigorous proponent of European integration, current member of 
the U.N. Security Council, and significant trading nation, Spain has 
earned and exercised positions of true global leadership. Spain is 
serving the cause of humanitarian relief through its admirable 
participation in the U.N. protective force in Bosnia. We were all deeply 
saddened to learn about the death of a Spanish officer and the wounding 
of another there over the weekend. In Central America, Spain continues 
to provide important support for the development of peaceful and 
prosperous democracies. And the Madrid Conference, organized by Spain in 
1991, helped make possible a fundamental shift in the dynamics of the 
Middle East.
    Today, the seeds planted in the Madrid are beginning to bear fruit 
as the Middle East moves closer to a just and lasting peace. Spain and 
the United States share a strong interest in expanding global economic 
growth and job creation. We discussed today the recent enactment of 
NAFTA and its potential as a building block for free trade, not only 
throughout Latin America but around the world. And we agreed on the 
critical importance of a successful conclusion to the GATT Uruguay 
round. All trading nations must now redouble their efforts in these last 
few days to secure a good GATT agreement.
    The Prime Minister and I also discussed preparations underway for 
the NATO summit meeting in January. We both want to use that occasion to 
reaffirm the strength and the durability of the transatlantic 
relationship. We want to make concrete progress in adapting NATO, one of 
the most successful military alliances in all history, to the new 
realities and opportunities it faces.
    Five centuries ago, Spain reached across the Atlantic to discover a 
new world. Today as partners, Spain and America set sail for a new 
century. And in that spirit, I am proud and honored to welcome Prime 
Minister Gonzalez and to extend to him and to the Spanish people a warm

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greeting from all Americans.
    Mr. Prime Minister.
    Prime Minister Gonzalez. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Let me 
simply add to what President Clinton has said that it's been a great 
pleasure for me to make this official visit to the United States of 
America. This has been important to me. I have been following very 
closely the electoral program that led to the President's triumph and 
what he has been doing with them since then. And I think the Spanish 
press will understand quite a bit that when we talk about education, 
infrastructure, health reform, that we hear that talked about in the 
United States and we understand it; we feel it in our heart, too, 
because it's something we are doing.
    I'd like to thank President Clinton. This visit to Washington has 
allowed us to cordially exchange points of view in depth on our 
bilateral relations, European relations, the evolutions and changes 
taking place in Latin America, and certain different shared objectives 
we have in that part of the world. And it has allowed us to talk about 
the NATO summit in January, as the President mentioned. There are many 
problems, many challenges that we face after the Eastern bloc and the 
Iron Curtain fell. And obviously we face new challenges that NATO must 
meet. I think it's also worthy to mention that the GATT conversations 
may lead to success in the short term.
    As I said when I congratulated the President for the approval of 
NAFTA, I wasn't simply being courteous and diplomatic. I said that 
because I think that NAFTA has great importance for the U.S., for its 
relations with Mexico, and moreover, I think it's an axis for future 
developments with all of Latin America, in spite of the fact that it 
will be necessary to adapt to that new reality.
    So I think this has been an especially interesting visit. It's a 
very intense visit, I would add, and I think this is a good prolog. I 
have invited the President to visit Spain. I think he liked the idea, 
and I certainly hope that he gets a chance to do so.
    And I've mentioned that my government is especially interested to 
see him in Spain. We know that he has visited Spain in the past, that he 
has taken contact with our country, and I'm sure that would make it 
easier to explain our country to him now. And I'm sure he's interested. 
So I certainly hope to see Mr. Clinton, President Clinton, in Spain in 
the future.
    Thank you.

North Korea

    Q. You mentioned today that the IAEA said that North Korea's 
proposal for nuclear inspections was not entirely adequate. What's the 
United States view of that? Do we accept it in part, in full, or not at 
all?
    The President. Well, as I said earlier, obviously we're not entirely 
satisfied with the response of the North Koreans to the proposal we put 
forward, but we're going to meet about it later today, and then we're 
going to consult with the South Koreans and our other allies in the area 
and formulate our next move. I think it's important for me to have the 
opportunity to meet and discuss this, and I will be doing so this 
afternoon. And then it's equally important for us to get back to the 
South Koreans and others, so I'll probably have more to say about it in 
the next day or two. But I think that, in fairness, I need to wait until 
I talk to my principal advisers and also talk to our allies.
    Q. Is there any part about it you like?
    The President. Well, what I liked most about it was there was some 
indication on their part that they understood that we needed to both 
start inspections and the dialog again between the South and the North; 
that was clear. And so it's like all these things in international 
diplomacy, the devil's in the details. But I'm hopeful that we can work 
something out, and I don't want to say more until I have a chance to 
meet with my advisers and also to talk to our allies.

Global Economy

    Q. Would you share, for both of you, any ideas or differences about 
how to push the economy in the world?
    The President. Actually we did. I'd let the Prime Minister answer 
that, but we've talked a lot about how the United States, Japan, and 
Europe all have obligations to try to get the growth rate up and what 
each of us needs to do. And we talked about how that plus a system of 
expanded trade could reward Spain for all the changes that you have made 
and generate more jobs.
    Actually, the Spanish experience has been quite impressive in the 
growth you've had until the global recession of the last couple of 
years. So we've got to get out of that, and we have

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to do that, it seems to me, with a coordinated economic strategy.
    Mr. Prime Minister.
    Prime Minister Gonzalez. Well, first of all, let me stress that we 
fully agree on the need for coordination, coordination of the developed 
world, the countries of the developed world, in order to overcome an 
economic crisis and promote growth and create jobs. Coordination is even 
more important if you take into account that the economy is becoming 
globalized, so we need coordination.
    We agree that successful GATT negotiations leading to agreement will 
be positive, and I think we agree on certain specific current policies 
such as coordination for lowering interest rates in Europe in order to 
spur investment and thus contribute to restarting the European economy. 
I think we are well aware that growth, growth even in powerful, large 
countries like the U.S., if it isn't carried out in coordination and 
collaboration with other countries such as Europe and Japan, will 
encounter greater obstacles than it would with good coordination. So, 
that is quite clear, and I think that's the way out of a recession.

Somalia

    Q. In Somalia last week, Americans saw the extraordinary scene of 
General Mohamed Farah Aideed being escorted out of Mogadishu in an 
American armored personnel carrier and flown to Ethiopia in an Army jet. 
How would you explain that to the families of those whose soldiers were 
killed in Somalia just 2 months ago?
    The President. I would tell them that they were over there fighting 
ultimately for a peace to take place. And as I have said many times 
before, that action was fundamentally successful. They achieved their 
objective. They arrested a lot of people. We still have under custody 
the people who we think are the most likely to have been seriously 
involved in the murder of the Pakistani soldiers and to have caused 
difficulties for the Americans. We have started the process of having an 
independent commission look into that.
    I said back in August that we were in the business of trying to 
solve this thing politically. Everyone thought it was important that 
General Aideed go to that peace conference. And Ambassador Oakley, who 
had to make this decision on the spur of the moment without much time to 
consider whether there were any other options, knew that the only other 
conceivable option was not going to be accepted and that he had to get 
the peace conference going. And so he thought it was the right thing to 
do. And I will stand behind his decision.

Summit of the Americas

    Q. I would like to ask Mr. Gonzalez whether he has any comments on 
the U.S. initiative regarding the Summit of the Americas next year in 
this country.
    Prime Minister Gonzalez. If you allow a comment before that, first 
of all, we ourselves don't have troops in Somalia, but we do in the ex-
Yugoslavia. If the President will allow me, let me say that when one is 
involved oneself, it's harder to say. But let me say that in regard to 
the presence, the U.S. presence and other presence in Somalia has its 
cost. It has its human cost. But it has saved tens of thousands of 
lives, of innocent lives. It saved them from a death by hunger. Now, 
that isn't as visible. It's not stated as often in the media, but in 
honor of truth, let us say that it isn't a worthless sacrifice that has 
been made. Tens of thousands of people are reaping benefits from the 
sacrifice of those lives.
    Secondly, I have been able to tell both the President and the Vice 
President when they mentioned this initiative to me about the summit 
meeting of heads of states of Latin America: When you look at the 
history of Latin America from the Second World War up until the present, 
I think there isn't a more timely, a better time, then, to bring the 
heads of state from all of the Americas together at one time and in one 
place. All of us want to see greater democracy, the elimination of 
violent alternatives, and a greater economic opening throughout the 
area, and we don't want to see any kind of return to the temptation of 
supernationalism that has caused so much damage to the Americas in the 
past. So I think that initiative will find--[inaudible]--a very positive 
reception.

North Korea

    Q. I wonder, sir, if I could get back to Korea for a moment, if you 
could characterize the near-term urgency of the situation over there, 
why it's so important now to settle this as quickly as possible.
    The President. In Korea?
    Q. Yes, sir.

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    The President. The near-term urgency is basically a function of what 
the IAEA has said. The longer they go on without adequate inspections, 
the more difficult it is for them to be able to certify the actual 
condition of the North Korean nuclear program and that's what the issue 
is. That's why we're trying to work it through as quickly as we can so 
we won't finally and completely break the chain that enables the IAEA to 
make certain representations to the rest of the world about where they 
are on that.
    Someone else from Spain? Yes, ma'am.

Cuba

    Q. Yes. I have a question for you. I would like to know if there is 
any sign of change, economic and political opening, in Cuba. Will you be 
able to take a moderate view and lessen the economic pressures being 
brought to bear on Cuba in the future?
    The President. Well, as you know, the United States believes that 
the pressures we have brought to bear on Cuba are responsible, in some 
measure, for the very modest openings that we've seen coming out of Cuba 
with regard to travel and assets and a few other things. I see no 
indication that the nation or that the leadership, the Castro 
government, is willing to make the kind of changes that we would expect 
before we would change our policy.

Missile Targeting

    Q. Mr. President, are you going to aim our long-range nuclear 
missiles away from Russia?
    The President. Well, as I said back in April, around the summit with 
President Yeltsin, that's something we have under consideration, and 
we're working it through now. We're working very hard with the Russians 
to continue the denuclearization and to make them and ourselves and 
others feel more secure with that move. So that's one of the things 
we've had under consideration, but no final decision has been made.

Cuba

    Q. I guess Cuba was an issue today. Did you learn anything from the 
Prime Minister's experience on Cuban issues? President, Prime Minister, 
do you think it would be better to have Cuba attend meetings of 
international organization? Would that lead to greater democracy in 
Cuba? Or should Cuba be not allowed to partake in these international 
organizations until they're a democracy?
    The President. Yes, I learned something from talking to the Prime 
Minister. I found it very interesting. We've not had any contact with 
Cuba for a good long while now. So I asked him a number of questions, 
and I listened very closely to what he said.
    Prime Minister Gonzalez. I think everyone can understand that we 
agree on what our common goals are for Cuba. In other words, I think we 
all want to see Cuba to join in with the rest of the Latin American 
countries in moving towards greater democracy and open economy. I think 
we agree on what we want Cuba to become. We have had some Ibero-American 
meetings, and in those meetings we did not exclude anyone. But I can 
understand that if we're talking about a meeting of all the democratic-
elected leaders of the hemisphere, there would be exceptions and not 
just Cuba. I imagine Haiti would not be invited. If all the 
democratically elected leaders were meeting, Haiti wouldn't be there, 
either.

Health Care Reform

    Q. Mr. President, right now the American Medical Association is 
meeting in New Orleans, and it seems like there is a big question about 
whether or not they are going to support your health program. How 
important is that to you, and what do you say to them about the obvious 
disagreement that's going on there?
    The President. Well, first of all, I have been, frankly, pleased by 
the constructive response that the leadership of the AMA has taken to 
this point. As you know, it is a very different response than has been 
taken to any other health care initiative in the 20th century, different 
than their response to Medicaid or Medicare or to previous efforts at 
universal coverage. And I would hope they would do what the leadership 
has been doing, which is to explain what they want and where they differ 
and to keep working with us.
    Let me say that I'm also very impressed and gratified by the 
response that a number of the other physicians' groups have had, the 
family practitioners, the pediatricians, and others who have been much 
more uniformly supportive.
    There are a couple of things that I would expect are driving the 
debate at their meeting. First of all, there are some groups of 
specialists who disagree with our proposal to shift the Federal 
investment in medical schools to encourage

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more family practitioners. But I don't see how anyone rationally could 
object to that since we are only turning out about 15 percent of our 
graduates in family practice, and we need more than twice that, looking 
ahead.
    Then there are those who feel so strongly that fee-for-service is 
the right way for doctors to be reimbursed that they object to the fact 
that our plan would require a fee-for-service option to be given to 
everybody who doesn't have insurance now but would also require other 
options as well. To that, I would respond that those folks don't have 
any health insurance at all now and this will make it possible for them 
to get some, and some will choose fee-for-service.
    Moreover, among those who do have insurance, every year fewer and 
fewer and fewer of them have that option. So, we're not accelerating a 
process that's not already well underway. We're simply trying to cover 
everyone on more or less equal terms, and we're going to at least give 
people the option to choose fee-for-service, which is something many 
people who are already covered don't have. So, I would hope they would 
consider those things and continue the dialog.
    Q. Do you need them to get--[inaudible]
    The President. I don't know about that. The more support we have, 
the easier it will be to pass. That's like anything else.

Angola

    Q. On the role of fostering new democracies in the world that you 
both referred, I would like to hear your comments, both of you, on the 
situation in Angola, the lack of visible progress on the ground, and if 
you envisage any wider exercise that, in this case, that we see in 
Somalia these days, for restoring peace in Angola.
    The President. It's a different situation than Somalia was when we 
went in there and much more hazardous. I don't foresee that. We have 
named a special emissary there. We are working hard on it, and I'm very 
disturbed by it. You know, the loss of life has been very severe. The 
number of children maimed by land mines there, I believe, is now the 
largest number in any conflict that we know about. I hope we can make 
some progress. I discuss it with our people at least once a week, 
sometimes more often. And we sometimes feel we are making progress, and 
then it slips back. So, I wish I had a more hopeful scenario. I can tell 
you the United States is involved in it, that we are keeping up very 
closely with events, and we are doing our best to try to bring the 
conflict to a peaceful conclusion.
    Prime Minister Gonzalez. I was in Angola just before the last 
elections, and it would seem that the international community has taken 
a firm decision to move forward respecting the results of any truly free 
and fair elections. The international community recognized that those 
elections were free and fair and that the results should thus be 
respected.
    However, one of the parties in Angola did not respect the elections 
and were probably one of the bloodiest--[inaudible]--of the civil war 
that ever existed. So internationally, I think we need a high degree of 
coordination to try to get both parties to simply stop and try to help 
the country get back on the track of economic development. It's a 
country with tremendous resources and has tremendous economic potential. 
We haven't talked about that today, but I think all of us in the 
international community agree that we have to try to get those who 
ignored the rules of democracy in the past to respect the electoral 
results.
    Thank you.

Note: The President's 37th news conference began at 2:01 p.m. at Blair 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Somali warlord Mohamed Farah 
Aideed. Prime Minister Gonzalez spoke in Spanish, and his remarks were 
translated by an interpreter.