Remarks Following Discussions With Giulio Andreotti, Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European Council

The President. I was delighted to have the opportunity for these extended discussions with my friend Giulio Andreotti. This is my first official meeting with the leader of the European Community in his capacity as President of the EC Council. And as such, it fulfills an agreement that I made with Prime Minister Haughey during the Irish EC Presidency.

I look forward to regular working sessions with future EC Presidency representatives and consider this the beginning of a valuable new tradition. I, of course, also wanted to extend a warm welcome to the EC Commission President, an old friend, Jacques Delors, and of course, the Foreign Minister of Italy, Foreign Minister De Michelis, who have made valuable contributions in these discussions that we had there in the Cabinet Room.

We discussed at length our goals for the Uruguay round and our strong conviction that we must succeed in substantial trade liberalization and strengthening the multilateral world trading system. And I, for my part, and Prime Minister Andreotti and President Delors, on behalf of the Community and its member states, have pledged to make every effort to ensure that the round concludes successfully in the coming weeks. Indeed, there will be follow-on meetings tomorrow with President Delors.

We also continued our discussions on the crisis in the Gulf. We've worked closely with our EC colleagues on all aspects of the Gulf situation since the invasion of Kuwait, and we've cooperated to pass and maintain effective U.N. Security Council sanctions. Our continuing consultations are providing vital assistance to the frontline states. And I want to salute Prime Minister Andreotti for his strong leadership and for the Community's firm resolve in the international effort in the Gulf.

Through our consultations today and in the future, we are strengthening the transatlantic partnership, a partnership which will continue to unite the United States and Europe in advancing our shared values of political and economic freedom.

Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for coming, sir, and have a safe trip home.

The Prime Minister. I thank you, Mr. President, for the welcome you gave to me and to President Delors and Minister De Michelis.

The close relationship between the United States of America and the European Community constitutes a point, and has constituted a point, of great strength for the maintenance of stability and peace in the world.

What occurred in Kuwait is rightly deemed to be untolerable. If it were allowed to occupy and to annex a country without any opposition, then this would mean the end of the juridical order system which exists in the world. The effort being carried out by the United Nations with the contribution of all of us is aimed at obtaining three results: first, the liberation of Kuwait and the return of the legality in the country; second, the freeing of the hostages; and third, the establishment of a system of security in all the countries in the Middle East capable of assuring a reciprocal peace in that area and a reciprocal respect amongst their peoples.

As President Bush has said in his speech in front of the United Nations on the 1st of October, there can be no simultaneity to solve all the problems in the area, but there exists a connection amongst them and a strong commitment to bring back peace and security in the Middle East. And all our efforts must be aimed at achieving these goals in a peaceful way.

Lastly, I want to say that we have worked out the wording of the declaration of the relationship between the EC and the United States of America. I know that there has been only one word in brackets, and I hope this will be very soon solved so that in Paris next week we can have the issuance of this declaration.

And lastly, as President Bush has said, during the meeting, we have devoted a great part of it to discuss at length the problems connected with the Uruguay round, and with great clarity and also with the will to reach a positive conclusion. And we believe truly that should this agreement not be achieved, then it would bring about serious damages, in particular to the less developed countries.

I will have the pleasure of meeting next week in Paris President Bush, and I would like just to emphasize how important it is, this formula of cooperation for security in Europe. Also, before 1975, relations between Europe and the American continent were very good. But as of 1975, United States of America and Canada are Europe. And it is not a fantasy to say that it was in that very moment that the new history for United States, for Canada, and for Europe, and for the whole world had started. And we must have this policy of cooperation and security guide always our steps in the future in our decisions.

Thank you, President Bush, also for having me, for this welcome, and having bid me a good return, because now I will not suffer today of jet lag since I'm leaving tonight. [Laughter]

The President. So pleased you were here, sir. Thank you.