    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [May 22, 2000]
    [Pages 1001-1002]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Exchange With Reporters Following the Welcoming Ceremony for President
    Thabo Mbeki of South Africa
    May 22, 2000

    HIV/AIDS Pharmaceuticals

        Q.  President Mbeki, do you think your government could be doing
    more to distribute the medicines for AIDS in South Africa?
        President Mbeki.  We are discussing that now with the U.N. aides and
    the WHO. Our Health Minister has just come back from Geneva. We want to
    look at all of those things so that we can move more effectively against
    AIDS.
        Q.  Is it true that you don't consider AZT necessarily a good drug
    in fighting it?
        President Mbeki.  I've never said that.
        Q.  How does that come about?
        President Mbeki.  Pure invention. Pure invention.
        Q.  So your position is what, now?
        President Mbeki.  I've never said that. No, what was said with
    regard to the anti-retrovirus is that we need to ensure that we are able
    to cope with dispensing. Because the WHO says when you dispense them,
    you've got to have a strong enough medical infrastructure because of the
    potential toxicities and counterindications.
        You need to be able to supervise the patients close. But no, no,
    no--so that's why it's in the aftermath of the announcement that the
    pharmaceuticals were reducing the prices. When we sent our Health
    Minister to Geneva to talk with the WHO--so that we see how to respond
    to that. No, no, it said that there's a lot of stuff that's been written
    which is not true.
        Q.  Mr. President, we were asking President Mbeki if he could do
    more to distribute the drugs that fight AIDS in South Africa. Do you
    think he could do more?
        President Clinton.  Well, we've got to get them to him. He's got to
    be able to afford them. And that's what my Executive order was about.
    And you've got these five big pharmaceutical companies now who said
    they're going to help, and I think we're--you know, in the next couple
    of months, we'll see if we really can get a break for him. But I'm very
    encouraged by what those pharmaceutical companies said.
        And then, of course, if the Congress will pass my tax proposal to
    give a big tax credit to them to develop these vaccines, I think that
    will make a big difference.
        Q.  So you think it's a question of money and not his belief in the
    drugs?
        President Clinton.  Yes, I think--there are some drugs out there
    now; we need to get them out there at affordable prices, and then we
    need to develop the vaccines. And I think we'll be able to do it.

    Permanent Normal Trade Relations With China

        Q.  How close are you on China?
        President Clinton.  Well, I'm hopeful. But we're making progress.

     Note: The exchange began at 10:35 a.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, President Mbeki referred to Minister of Health
    Manto Tshabalala-Msimang of South Africa; and WHO, the World Health
    Organization. A tape was

    [[Page 1002]]

    not available for verification of the content of this exchange. The
    Executive order of May 10 on access to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and
    medical technologies is listed in Appendix D of this volume.