THE WHITE HOUSE                      Office of the Press Secretary  _____________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release                                   April 5, 1993                               PRESS BRIEFING                        BY GEORGE STEPHANOPOLOUS                             The Briefing Room    10:10 A.M. EDT 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  As you know, the President is soon  to be on his way, on Amtrack to Camden Yards.  He'll be throwing out  the first pitch. 	      	     Q	  It's MARC, the Maryland Area Transit, it's not  Amtrack. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Oh, it's not Amtrack?  Well, he's  going from Union Station, you're right.  Excuse me. 	      	     Q	  George, what exactly are you prepared to do to  break the logjam with  ??? Senate? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, as you know, there are  discussions between Senator Mitchell and Senator Dole this morning,  and I think that the President is going to continue to make the point  that he believes that our investment package, our jobs package needs  to be passed as quickly as possible.  We need this investment for  summer jobs, for immunization, for highway construction, for the  important programs that will put people back to work right away this  summer.  And the President continues to believe his program should be  passed. 	      	     Q	  Will he compromise, that's the question? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, as you know, the discussions  are going on this morning in the Senate betwen Senator Mitchell and  Senator Dole, let's see what they come up with.  But the President  believes his jobs program should go forward. 	      	     Q	  George, would the President be willing to accept $8  billion for one year, which apparently appears to be the compromise  being offered by -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, I don't know what is being  offered by either side.  The Senate discussions are going on right  now, let's see what happens today. 	      	     Q	  Would he go that far -- no matter what the  Republicans have offered so far, would he go that far, $8 billion per  year? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  The President believes that his  program should be passed at this time.  Clearly, we're going to be  willing to listen to what the Senators might or might not be able to  come up with, but I'm not going to get into figures right now.  Let's  see what happens. 	      	     Q	  It's reasonable to assume, isn't it, from what has  happened so far that a compromise is going to be necessary in order  to get a vote? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, the Republicans seem more  intrested in stopping progress on the President's jobs bill, than in  doing something to create --  MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, the  Republicans seem more interested in stopping progress on the  President's jobs bill than in doing something to create real action,  real jobs this summer for the American people.  I think there's no  question about that.  There's been some frustration of legislative  activity over the last few days. 	      	     Q	  So, you'll need to compromise to get your package  through? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  We'll see what happens with the  conversations between Senator Mitchell and Senator Dole this morning. 	      	     Q	     prepared to compromise -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  The President's prepared to listen  to what Senator Mitchell has to say this morning after his meeting  with Senator Dole.  	      	     Q	  Does he feel that he has been defeated in his -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Not in the least.  In fact, he's  been very successful so far in the beginning of his term. 	      	     Q	  How? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  He passed his budget in record  time, in six weeks, and it's a budget which reduces the deficit by  $500 billion over five years.  And it's a budget which provides for  important investments in our future.  Right now we've also had strong  passage of his jobs program through the House.  Simply because a  minority of Republicans in the Senate choose to perpetuate gridlock  and hold up action on the President's jobs program is not a sign that  he is not succeeding overall. 	      	     Q	  He can't beat this, can he? 	      	     Q	  The fact is they can do that? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, the Republicans can stop  action.  There's no question about that. 	      	     Q	  What are you going to do about it? 	      	     Q	  George, what do you know about these alleged notes  taken by Boris Yeltsin during one of the meetings in which it appears  that the President told Boris Yeltsin not to trust the Japanese; that  when they say yes they mean no? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think that's a complete  misreading of what happened at the meeting.  The context of the  conversation was that President Clinton was actually reassuring  President Yeltsin at the time about his conversations with Prime  Minister Miyazawa over the Kuril Islands and the Prime Minister's  belief that Japan would play a constructive role in the G-7 process.   I mean this was a casual comment about Japanese courtesy and  etiquette but overall it was in the context of a conversation where  he was reassuring President Yeltsin that he believed the Japanese  were serious about their commitment to the G-7 process. 	      	     Q	   Are you saying that the President said that when  the Japanese say yes they mean no? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  That's not -- I don't know the  exact words and there was a much longer discussion about he did say  something along the lines that he believes that on this issue Prime  Minister Miyazawa intends to really go forward with the G-7 process. 	      	     Q	  Have there been any attempts to explain this to the  Japanese because apparently the Japanese press has picked this up and  there appears to be -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I've seen the reports in the  Japanese press and it actually does put the situation in context.  It  does talk about the Japanese -- understanding the Japanese points of  view.  I don't think it's going to be a problem.  I believe that  there may have been some diplomatic context just to clear things up  but I'm not positive. 	      	     Q	  George, was the specific comment that was made  specific to the Kuril Island situation or was it a general  observation on Japanese etiquette? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  The discussion was about -- 	      	     Q	  The specific comment is what I'm asking about that  has alleged to have been translated from the Russian notes, "when the  Japanese say yes they mean no." 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, it was a combination.  I mean  I don't think that's the whole sentence.  I think that the specific  comment was a broad, general observation followed up by a specific  finish to the sentence where he said in this case he believes that  Prime Minister Miyazawa means to keep the commitment. 	      	     Q	  Was he saying it facetiously first? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think it was just a casual  observation. 	      	     Q	  And then you say diplomatic contacts were made to  clear it up.  Has the President sent a message? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  No, I don't think the President  spoke; I believe that Secretary Christopher has made some calls but  I'm not sure exactly how many. 	      	     Q	  Well, this obviously is a bigger deal than you're  making it out to be if Christopher has had to make some calls. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  No, no.  It was just that we got  the reports in Vancouver and the Secretary wanted to make sure that  it was understood and make sure there was absolutely no  	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  -- reports in Vancouver, and the  Secretary wanted to make sure that it was understood, and make sure  there is absolutely no misunderstanding, and I don't believe there is  on. 	      	     Q	  What is our position about the Japanese?  That they  may have to say one thing, but actualy mean another? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  No.  The position on the Japanese  is as the President stated to President Yeltsin throughout the two  days.  He said that he had had a good conversation with Prime  Minister Miazawa prior to the Summit.  He reiterated the U.S.  position, the long-standing support for the Japanese position on the  Kuril Islands, but also reiterated Prime Minister Miazawa's  commitment to move forward on the G-7 process and to play a  constructive role.  And I think President Yeltsin was very glad to  hear that. 	      	     Q	  After listening to Secretary Christopher on Iraq  for the last few days, I'm a little confused.  What is the U.S.  policy?  Do you want to see Saddam Hussein overturned? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  It's the same policy that Secretary  Christopher has reiterated, and all of the U.S officials have  reiterated.  We expect full and complete and unequivocal compliance  with all U.N. resolutions.  Right now we do not have that compliance. 	      	     Q	     throwing it out further that if Iraq complies,  Saddam can't stay in office? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Right.  I think that that's -- our  judgment is that it is not possible for Saddam Hussein to comply with  the resolutions and stay in power.  But the important point is that  we expect compliance by Iraq with all U.N. resolutions, and we will  continue to demand it. 	      	     Q	  And are you concerned the Iran will become the  dominant power in the area -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Secretary Christopher has also  spoken to Iran over the last several days, and he says we also expect  full Iranian compliance with all international norms, and stopping  support of terrorism. 	      	     Q	  That's a very glib statement that he won't stay in  power if he complies with U.N. resolutions.  On what logic do you  base that? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Right now Saddam Hussein is not  complying with the U.N. resolutions at all.  He is not respecting the  rights of his people, as is required by the U.N. resolution.  He is  not fully complying with all the resolutions regarding inspections.   He is not fully complying with all the resolutions regarding  armaments. 	      	     Q	  Well, when do you think that if he did comply he  would be out of power?  	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, right now his power rests on  the repression of his people.  If he stopped doing that it would make  it more difficult for him to stay in power. 	      	     Q	  George, back on the stimulus package, why is it  that you and the President accuse the Republicans of playing pure  politics and perpetuating gridlock?  Why is it that -- what evidence  do you have that they just don't have a genuine idealogical  difference with you that's in good faith? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, the fact that several times  in the past the Republicans, many of the ones who are now leading the  fight for the filibuster, have supported the very funding they now  seek to stop, most especially, the highway funding.   	      	     Q	  George, in regards to that, some of the moderate  Republicans said that the White House erred by not being more open to  them during the -- while the plan was put together, that they had  one, sort of, proforma meeting between the White House and the Senate  Republicans, and that was it.  Does the Administration look back and  thinks perhaps it could have done a better job of working with some - - 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, I'm not sure that it's true  that there was only one meeting.  I mean, the President met with the  Republican leadership on at least two occasions before the  introduction of his package.  He met with the entire Senate  Republican Caucus also for lunch, and went up there.  We are  continually in contact with as many Republicans as we can find who  have an interest in the President's package.  We are interested in  what they have to say, as well.  But we believe that this program is  important, and we're going to continue to fight for it. 	      	     Q	     your all or nothing, do it with the Democrats  alone strategy, did you maybe miscalculate the ability to get it  through? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, I mean, I think that there is  no question that under the Senate rules a determined minority can  frustrate activity.  I mean, there is just no question about that.   You only need 40 plus one to keep going.  40 plus one to keep going  and to stop any action, and that's what the Republicans are doing. 	      	     Q	     going to rethink the way you attempt to get  other things passed as you go through this process for the rest of  the summer? 	      	     Q	     work with Republicans and try to woo some  Republicans into your camp? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think we're going to continue to  look for the support of Republicans whenever we can get it on the  President's intiatives? 	      	     Q	  But on this one -- how are you going to do it  differently than you did it on this one because on this one you  really did stiff the Republicans from the beginning and made it clear  that it was a Democratic majority that would get this through and  could get it through and you really didn't need Republican votes?   Are you going to take a different tack when you have to go for  particular votes?  When you have to go through -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I can't see into the future and  understand every possible turn in the legislative road.  Clearly the  President's going to continue to reach out when he can. 	      	     Q	  You don't have any regrets then about the way you  have handled it up to now and you don't plan any changes in your  approach in dealing with the Republicans in Congress based on this  experience? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Obviously the President would like  his package passed as quickly as possible and he's going to continue  to press for that.  We will continue to reach out to Republicans,  there's not question about that.  And we'll continue to reason with  them and try and find appropriate avenues for cooperation.  In this  case the Republicans have chosen to unify around a filibuster, around  a plan to frustrate action not a plan to move forward. 	      	     Q	  They're being denied any other legislative means of  putting their proposals forward. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think they're being -- 	      	     Q	     any ideas. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think their amendments are being  defeated; I don't know that they're being denied. 	      	     Q	     to present them. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  That's not exactly true.  I mean  they get the votes -- 	      	     Q	     that theirs can be passed though by the  parliamentary rules under which they're playing. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Unless they get a majority in  support all the way around, no, that's not exactly true. 	      	     Q	  George, one more on Iraq.  Is the administration  backing any of the Iraqi opposition?  Grooming any new leadership? 	      	     Q	     backing any of the Iraqi -- leadership? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Oh, I -- again, we're pressing for  Iraqi compliance.  I don't know if we can get into the business of  grooming leadership.  I believe there have been some contacts, at  some levels, with Iraqi opposition groups.  I don't know  about  anything recently. 	      	     Q	     Jesse Jackson, who, of course, is not the  President's best friend, has, however, been told that there is to be  some kind of town meeting, or some kind of involvement by the  President, pre-empted the ball game -- Los Angeles.  Will he consider  something like that, or any other kind of intervention there? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, as you know, the President  appointed Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, about 10 days ago, to be a  special envoy to California, and coordiante cabinet activities around  the California economic situation, including the situation in Los  Angeles.   	      	     I believe there will also be visits out to Los Angeles  by the Education -- or have been visits by the Education Secretary,  Mr. Riley.  I believe that Transportation Secretary Pena and HUD  Secretary Cisneros are also going out.  And there may be other visits  by Cabinet officials over the next several days and weeks.  I  wouldn't rule out the possibility of a visit by President Clinton to  California.  Obviously, he is following the situation closely, and is  concerned about making sure that we make the right long term policy  decisions that will help create the kind of economic opportunities  which help prevent disturbances.  But we're going to continue to  watch it. 	      	     Q	  George, as a follow-up, Reverend Jackson is also  supposed to be outside the ball park today, in Baltimore, with a  group of supporters protesting the lack of minorities in baseball  management.  Does the President have a position on that? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  The President has received  correspondence from Reverend Jackson.  I know that Reverend Jackson  has also spoken with the White House Chief of Staff, Mack McLarty.   He clearly raises serious questions.  There has been some progress in  baseball over the last several years, but still not enough.  But the  President intends to continue to go to the ball game. 	      	     Q	  Is he going to say anything about it today, or see  Reverend Jackson while he's out there? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I don't know if he is going to see  them, but as I said, the President believes that Reverend Jackson has  raised some serious questions, and it's something that, as I said,  even though there has been progress, it's clearly not enough. 	      	     Q	  Did Reverend Jackson ask him not to go to the ball  game? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I'm not sure about that.  I believe  the characterization the Reverend Jackson is talking about is an  informational pickett.  I don't know that he asked him not to go to  the ball game, but he sent a long, detailed, formal letter outlining  his concerns with the situation in major league baseball and the  President read it. 	      	     Q	  George, the Orioles are playing the Rangers, the  managing partner of the Rangers is George W. Bush.  Is he going to be  there, and is he going to meet with the President? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I don't know. 	      	     Q	  What is the Mubarak schedule? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I know that President Mubarak is  coming tomorrow morning for a working meeting, they will have a  lunch, and I believe that he is having dinner tonight with Vice  President Gore. 	      	     Q	  And joint statements tomorrow -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I believe so, yes.  At the end,  yes. 	      	     Q	  Is there evidence, George, that the Egyptians did  warn the U.S. about a potential terrorist bombing -- terrorist  activities? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  As reported in The New York Times,  I mean, I think that President Mubarak did say that there has been  general conversations with the Egyptians, as there have been for a  long period of time.  We do have general intelligence sharing, I  mean.  But President Mubarak was very careful to point out that there  was no specific information on this visit that was passed forward.   The President will continue to investigate the situation, but he also  reiterates his belief that we cannot tolerate terrorism of any kind. 	      	     Q	  George, he did make specific -- or the Egyptians,  apparently, did issue specific warnings about this individual who,  forgive me --this individual who, forgive me the name escapes me at  the moment, and said the Egyptians were more or less rebuffed in  their attempts to get some kind of action. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Again, I don't know if I would  agree with your characterization of the Mubarak interview.  He did  say that they gave general warnings about the possibility of a  network in the United States and upon which we took appropriate  action.  But there was no specific information on this specific  operation at all. 	      	     Q	  So, the White House doesn't feel that any of the  law enforcement agencies whether it be the CIA or FBI who would have  received this kind of information was lax or derelict in its duty in  not pursuing some kind of -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  No, not at all. 	      	     Q	  What's next with Serbia?  It got only a passing  mention in the news conference yesterday -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  You didn't get to ask your  question. 	      	     Q	  Yes, exactly.  Was there any agreement on concerted  action between the two countries?  And even if there wasn't, what  does the U.S. do next? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think the U.S. is clearly going  to move forward in the U.N. today continuing discussions with our  allies on a sanctions resolution and we'll continue to look for ways  to press the Serbians to come to the negotiating table and sign an  agreement. 	      	     Q	  George, why do you think sanctions is still an  option?  I mean the Serbians make it clear that at least the  leadership is surviving just fine and they feel like they can wait  you out and even the administration officials we had in the other day  said there's no evidence that they're going to have an effect any  time soon.  The Bosnian Serbs have said no to the peace plan.  When  does no mean no and you have to do something different? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Well, I mean we are doing something  different.  We're moving forward on further sanctions through the  U.N. and those discussions will continue.  We're going to continue to  try and tighten the noose on Serbia, and I think that every  opportunity we have to do that will have an effect over time. 	      	     Q	  Are we looking again at lifting the arms embargo?  MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  The President has said that this is something  that is under consideration. 	      	     Q	  George, do you have any more on Hugh Rodham's  condition, how he's doing? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  As far as I know nothing's changed. 	      	     Q	  George, -- week after Mr. Mubarak? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  It's a little unclear.  I think  we'll be able to get you more either tonight or tomorrow morning  after the Mubarak visit. 	      	     Q	  Is he going somewhere for Easter? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Not that I know of. 	      	     Q	  What more can you tell us about the additional aid  to Russia that the President plans to ask Congress about? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  He's going to be consulting with  the Congress and with our G-7 partners over the next couple of weeks.   I know that he spoke last evening with Congressman Gephardt and their  delegation before the -- the congressional delegation meets with the  Russians this week and those consultations will continue over the  next several weeks. 	      	     Q	  Do you expect that package to be of the magnitude  of the one announced Sunday? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I'm not going to discuss the  magnitude. 	      	     Q	  How about the list of Cold War restrictions, where  do you stand on that -- 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  As the President said yesterday,  he's going to be looking for that list from the Congress this week  and reviewing it.  He believes -- he's going to try and get it this  week and he's going to review the list, and we're going to take a  hard look at it. 	      	     Q	  But they're making it up?  I mean it's no White  House involvement, Congress is compiling this list? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  I think he's going to talk to the  congressional leaders about compiling the list but I'm certain we'll  be able to get our own researchers working as well. 	      	     Q	  George, isn't lifting the arms embargo more of a  probability than a possibility? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  It's something that's under  discussion. 	      	     Q	  Secretary Christopher has said that it's a matter  of time and -- for months before that happens. 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  Again, all I can say is that it's  something that the President is reviewing.  Right now we're working  with our allies in the U.N on a sanctions resolution, and we'll  continue to review other matters. 	      	     Q	  George, can you tell us anything about the schedule  this week?  Any travel? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  They just asked about that.  I  don't have anything more beyond tomorrow's visit with Mubarak right  now. 	      	     Q	  Are there consultations, George, with any Jewish  American organizations concerning Jackson-Vanick? 	      	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  As you know the National Conference  of Soviet Jewry has a list of, I believe,  	     MR. STEPHANOPOULOS:  -- as you know, the National  Conference of Soviet Jewry has a list of, I believe, 200 Refuseniks.   We'll certainly take a look at that and continue appropriate  discussions. 	      	     Thanks.