THE WHITE HOUSE




                    Office of the Press Secretary

_____________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                                  April 11, 1996






                          PRESS BRIEFING BY

                          MIKE MCCURRY AND   

                            ROBERT BELL,     

               SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND

	      	  SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR DEFENSE POLICY

             AND ARMS CONTROL, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL






                          The Briefing Room






12:51 P.M. EDT

	     

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to our 

continuous series of briefings today.  You will recall back on March 

22nd, we announced that the United States had signed the Declaration 

on the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone.  And at that time, I asked if 

anyone here knew what SPNFZ was and not a single soul did.  So I now 

ask, does anyone know what ANFZ is?  ANFZ is --

	     

	     Q	  Australia, New Zealand nuclear free zone.

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, since I correctly predicted you 

would get it wrong, I'm delighted to have here Robert Bell, Senior 

Director for Arms Control and Defense Policy at the National Security 

Council who will enlighten you further about the African Nuclear 

Weapons-Free Zone.  

	     

	     I'll say it first, this is also known in the argot of 

the diplomatic community as the treaty of Pelindaba, Pelindaba being 

the town in South Africa where the treaty was actually negotiated.  

Pelindaba, I am told, is Zulu for "no comment."  (Laughter.)  That is 

a true fact.  A word that I intend to remember.  So from now on when 

I tell you, Pelindaba --

	     

	     Q	  You ought to have all your briefings there.

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  -- you will know what I am saying.  

	     

	     Bob Bell, thank you for being here and thank you for 

taking a little time.  We also, as you just heard, have paper 

available now on the African Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone.

	     

	     MR. BELL:  Thank you, Mike.  

	     

	     As Mike said, today in Cairo, the United States signed 

without any reservations the protocols to the nuclear-free zone in 

Africa, the Treaty of Pelindaba.  This is a treaty that was signed 

today also by nearly 50 African states.  

	     

	     Together with the South Pacific Treaty and prior 

treaties that had established Latin America and Antarctica as 

nuclear-free zones, the African Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone Treaty, or 

ANFZ, in effect means that most of the Earth's southern hemisphere, 

an area stretching from Australia to Mauritius and from the Equator 

to the South Pole, is now a nuclear-free zone.

	     

	     Yesterday, Vice President Gore called South African 

Deputy President Mbeki to express the President's deep appreciation 

for the pivotal role that South Africa played in the successful 

negotiation of this treaty.  The treaty is named after the town of 

Pelindaba not only because, as Mike said, the treaty -- a lot of the 

treaty negotiation took place there, but it is also the town in South 

Africa where the South African government before Mandela had 

conducted a covert nuclear program, a program that has now been 

dismantled.

	     

	     As I noted last month in my briefing on the South 

Pacific Treaty, the signing of this treaty is another milestone in 

this administration's impressive record of accomplishment in the area 

of arms control and nonproliferation, a record that now includes the 

indefinite and unconditional extension of the Nonproliferation 

Treaty, the entry into force of the START I Treaty, the ratification 

by the United States Senate of the START II Treaty, the nuclear 

framework agreement halting North Korea's nuclear weapons program, 

the fissile material cutoff initiative that we're pursuing in Geneva, 

the detargeting agreement with Russia, and the agreements providing 

for the removal of all strategic nuclear weapons from the three 

states of the former Soviet Union.

	     

	     The signing today in Cairo also gives another 

significant impetus to the completion of a comprehensive test ban 

treaty that can be signed, as the President has called for, at the 

United Nations General Assembly in its session that begins this 

September.

	     

	     The United States signed today two protocols to the ANFZ 

Treaty.  Protocol II prohibits nuclear weapon states from conducting 

nuclear testing in Africa, which, of course, we have no plans or 

intentions of doing.  France also signed Protocol II today, along 

with China and Great Britain.  And it is instructive to recall that 

in the early 1960s, France conducted underground and even atmospheric 

testing in Algeria.  So, between the Pelandaba program and the 

previous French test program in Africa, Africa did have a nuclear 

history that formally comes to an end today.

	     

	     Under Protocol I, which we signed, each party pledges 

not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against any ANFZ party.  

However, Protocol I will not limit options available to the United 

States in response to an attack by an ANFZ party using weapons of 

mass destruction.

	     

	     As with the SPNFZ Treaty, the President will submit 

certain understandings and declarations to the Senate with the treaty 

for incorporation in the Senate's resolution of ratification when it 

gives its advice and consent.  For example, as with the South Pacific 

Treaty, we will make clear our understanding that this treaty does 

not restrict freedom of the sea or other navigation and overflight 

rights guaranteed under international law.

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Any questions?

	     

	     Q	  How do you spell the town, Pelindaba?

	     

	     Q	  One word, or two?

	     

	     MR. BELL:  One.

	     

	     Q	  Does it really mean "no comment"?  

	     

	     MR. BELL:  I'm assured by John Holliman that that's 

correct.  

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Thanks.  

	     

	     All right.  I'm getting off easy today without much 

work.  I've got everyone else working for me.  Any other question 

that you want to ask?  

	     

	     I'll just announce for those who had not heard earlier 

that Secretary Christopher will be here at approximately 2:30 p.m. to 

give you a sketch, a preview of the President's upcoming trip to the 

Republic of Korea, Japan and the Russian Federation.  And we'll also 

have after that several experts from throughout our government who 

will talk about specific aspects of the President's upcoming trip.  

That's still on for 2:30 p.m.

	     

	     Q 	  The President leaves Sunday -- what?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  The President leaves very late Sunday 

night, I think, close to about 11:00 p.m.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, what's the U.S. opinion on the stepped-up 

Israelis raids in Lebanon?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, we, obviously are always concerned 

when we see an outbreak of fighting in that region.  We've said 

before that the attacks by Hezbollah against Northern Israel have 

created a much more dangerous situation and the Israeli government 

has been compelled to respond.

	     

	     It remains our view that all the parties who have an 

interest in the long-term peace and stability in that region should 

carefully consider how best to use their influence with the parties 

to see if we can get the fighting to subside.  We've communicated 

those views.  We've had a lot of contact with the government of 

Israel today just to determine what, in fact, is going on.  And we 

will continue to exchange views with them as they deal with what is 

and has been a Hezbollah-sponsored threat to the security of Northern 

Israel.

	     

	     Q	  You had said earlier there was confusion about 

press accounts about what was happening.  You've had a couple of 

hours now; What's your understanding of what has happened?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, we have gotten more information 

available from the government of Israel, and they have spoken 

publicly to his.  I was referring to news reports earlier this 

morning that there was somehow or other Israeli naval action 

indicated, and we don't see any indication of that type of naval 

activity.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, you say that the United States is urging 

restraint on the parties.  But it seems from the tone of your remarks 

that you hold Israel relatively blameless because of the Hezbollah 

attacks.

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, remember, there is a history now of 

Hezbollah-sponsored terrorist activities that have, naturally, been 

of concern to the government of Israel.  But we encourage -- continue 

to encourage all the parties to do what they can to restore some 

measure of peace and stability in that region.  

	     

	     Surely, the best thing that could contribute to the 

peace in that region is a comprehensive, just and lasting peace 

agreement, and we continue to remain very engaged with all the 

parties in the region to see if we can't make progress specifically, 

of course, on the Israel-Syria track.

	     

	     Q	  Well, the party that has influence is obviously 

Syria.  Have there been any contacts with Damascus to get them to 

rein in Hezbollah?  Or do they have any influence over that specific 

group?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  I will not talk about specific diplomatic 

contacts that we've had, but as you know from prior occasions and 

when there has been violence associated with Lebanon and Northern 

Israel, we have had regular contact with the government in Damascus, 

as we have with other parties, and encourage everyone to use 

influence that they have to see if we can get the fighting to 

subside.

	     

	     Q	  Is the Lebanese Prime Minister, in your view, 

speaking for President Assad when he refuses to curb Hezbollah as 

long as Israel occupies Southern Lebanon?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  I am not specifically familiar with the 

remarks you're referring to, but the parties themselves in that 

region speak to their own involvements and their own sources of 

influence.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, why is it necessary for the President to come 

out on camera tomorrow to announce a six-month review of the 

U.S.-Japan auto agreement?  Isn't that something to --

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  To take credit for all the good news in 

U.S. trade figures.  Our exports are up in those areas where we've 

got agreements with Japan.  The results are really striking.  There's 

been a measured increase in U.S. exports, specifically, in autos and 

other sectors, and we've got bragging rights.  So we'll claim them.

Is that straightforward enough?

	     

	     Q	  Mike, on another kind of -- yesterday, following up 

on the President's decision on the late-term abortions, do you think 

he will be paying a political price for this now?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Look, the President, as you could tell 

yesterday, was deeply moved by the stories he heard from those women.  

And as he said in his letter to the cardinals, he thought about and 

prayed about this issue.  Any time you wrestle with a perplexing 

moral question like that, you just have to accept whatever the 

political consequences, pro or con.

	     

	     And I don't know that the President has thought much 

about it.  We know that it will be a political issue.  It's clearly 

already being used politically by the President's opponents.  But the 

President looked into the faces of those families and reassured 

himself that he did what he thought he properly had to do.

	     

	     Q	  Is he aware of at least a couple of those cardinals 

issuing statements after the veto yesterday which said Catholic 

voters would now have to reexamine whether in their conscience could 

support him?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  We know that they have made those 

comments.  But we also know that Americans of all religious 

persuasions, including Catholic Americans wrestle with this issue, 

many of them are profoundly affected by the moral ambivalence other 

Americans share.  And the President doesn't believe, and I don't know 

that any of us here at the White House believe, that any particular 

religious group in America votes monolithically or as a block.  I 

think there's ample evidence to, in fact, suggest that they don't.

	     

	     Q	  A follow-up, the mothers that he presented 

yesterday with their very compelling stories, the President did not 

address the critics' of the procedures complaints that this has 

become used as an elective, surgical --

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  That's not true.  The President made it 

very clear that he was searching for a way with this Congress to 

prohibit this procedure as an elective procedure.  What he wanted was 

specific language that would protect the health of mothers, like the 

ones that he met with yesterday -- those who would face serious, 

adverse health consequences as a result of their pregnancies and who 

needed to have in the few, rare cases where this is the procedure 

that would be indicated by qualified medical experts.  He wanted to 

make sure that it would be available to these families.  

	     

	     The Congress would not entertain a discussion with this 

President about how to address this issue so that elective -- it 

would not be used as an elective procedure.  And the President made 

that clear yesterday, and he also made it clear in his letter.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, does the administration believe that Airbus 

won contracts with China based on the merits or because China wanted 

to do some political tweaking to send a message?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  We can't answer the question.  What 

motivated a particular transaction that the government of China might 

be interested in.  What we can say or we can also fully calculate 

what the commercial impact will be -- what we can say, because it's 

true, is that U.S. manufactured aircraft are the finest in the world. 

We've got a very competitive position in the Asian market -- 65 

percent of the imports going into that region are U.S.-manufactured 

aircraft.  And we'll be more than happy to go out and compete 

globally for the types of contracts that the government of China is 

considering, because we think we've got the best product on the 

market.

	     

	     Q	  Let me go back to the Retirement Security Act.  Can 

you reasonably expect to get that through Congress and then take 

credit from a Republican?  Are they going to let you do that, or is 

this a positioning exercise?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Bill, if you look back on the history of 

pension reform -- going all the way back to the passage of the 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, it has been an area 

that has always enjoyed a great deal of bipartisan support.  All the 

initial legislation developed with strong Republican sponsorships, 

strong Democratic sponsorship, and this area has continued to be, 

throughout the years, an area in which there is a lot of bipartisan 

cooperation.

	     

	     The President puts these proposals forward knowing that 

there will be strong support in the Congress for these proposals, we 

suspect on both sides of the aisle, and because there historically 

has been support for the types of things we've proposed in 401K 

plans.

	     

	     Now, is it realistic to expect it will happen this year?  

Who knows?  Maybe there will be a desire to protect the income 

retirement needs of future retirees, and maybe the Congress will want 

to work together with this President and accomplish something that 

both sides can claim credit on.  We would hope so, and there's 

evidence that that's happened.

	     

	     We just had a line-item veto signing ceremony here, the 

President suspects it's going to be possible to get a bipartisan 

welfare reform bill passed.  As you heard him say earlier, we fully 

expect to get a bipartisan health insurance reform bill passed.  And 

where this is done, the President fully expects to share the credit 

with the Republican Congress, and that's right and proper.

	     

	     Q	  On the other hand, could you forgive them for 

thinking that perhaps he would try to take the credit for this in an 

election year?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, look, taking credit -- we'll do our 

best to go out and take credit for the President for things that he's 

done that are good for the American people, of course, and they'll do 

likewise on their side.  Most Americans will say, good, just split 

the difference and we'll give each side credit for getting something 

good done for the American people.  And that's, obviously, fine by 

us.

	     

	     Q	  So the President wouldn't use this as a campaign 

issue then, would he?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  You bet he will use the efforts that he 

has made in his first term to protect the retirement income security 

of today's retirees and future retirees, to make sure that their 

pension promise from their employer is in place and it's a good 

promise.  The steps that we're taking to make pension coverage more 

available for today's workers, that is kind of a fundamental premise 

of this President as you hear him talk about what we have to do in 

this country in the 21st century.  We've got to reward work.  We've 

got to increase security for those who are working.  And that's going 

to be a major part of the presentation he makes to the people of this 

country as he argues about America's future in the year ahead.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, now that the official period of mourning is 

over, there are some names being bandied about.  Does the President 

have his economic advisors suggesting names to look at for Secretary 

of Commerce?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  The search for a replacement for Secretary 

Brown is now underway.  The President has not yet held any formal 

meetings, but he's had one or two discussions now.  He's got some 

people in mind.  He will continue those deliberations rather swiftly, 

because he thinks it's very important for that department, which 

plays such a central role in our global economic strategy, to have 

strong leadership.  He's looking for someone who will be capable of 

leading that department into the future, and I expect he won't wait 

too long before he announces who he intends to place in Secretary 

Brown's position.

	     

	     Q	  He will send up a name?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  We will -- he will find a replacement for 

Secretary Brown and do so rather swiftly.

	     

	     Q	  Has McLarty taken himself out of the running?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Yes -- let me just say one thing.  I've 

read several stories speculating on various names.  I don't want to 

get into the speculation on individual names, but in at least one 

case, there is someone being speculated about who has made it quite 

clear that he's happy doing what he's doing and does not wish to be 

considered for the position.  So I would take with a great deal of 

caution what you're being told by some of your sources.  Every story 

I've seen so far that has named names, to my knowledge, includes 

names that are not under consideration.

	     

	     Q	  I just wanted to ask, Mike, just for -- the other 

side of Bill and Mick's question.  If for some reason Congress 

doesn't go along with this and abandons what the President would 

consider its bipartisan tradition of support for pension reform and 

security, would he use that as an example of how this Congress is 

extreme and out of step with the American public, and not fighting 

for the concerns of working people?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  He'll make his arguments as he goes into 

the fall and goes into the campaign based on what is the record of 

the Congress and his own record.  But one thing he will talk about is 

the steps that we need to take to protect the pension security of 

America's workers and the reasons why we need to encourage the 

private sector to make pensions available as we think about what the 

needs of our economy and our work force will be in the 21st century.

	     

	     Q	  I guess my question -- move forward if they thought 

it had no chance at all, too, right?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  In this area, there is ample reason to

believe from both the Democratic side of the aisle and the Republican

there will be strong support for the kinds of things the President is

talking about.  And so we'd prefer to think on the bright side and say

there's going to be progress here that the President can celebrate

working with this Congress.  And if not, then we will continue to make

the case we need to do these types of things, we need to provide this

type of coverage and the President will lay out that case and try to

get some support from the American people so we can let Congress know

that they do need to support that kind of legislation.

	     

	     Q	  Did you have any discussions in the last several 

days with any Republican chairmen or leaders about this legislation, 

introducing it or its progress?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Not at the leadership level, but most of 

these measures -- many of these measures have been incorporated in 

some of the legislation the President has promulgated in the past -- 

Middle Class Bill of Rights; he talked about some of these same 

things in the State of the Union address, and we have had staff-level 

discussions with some of the pension experts up on the Hill on 

various aspects of this legislation.  So we believe there is a 

working environment here certainly at the staff level, and if we get 

closer towards consideration, the President would be more than 

willing to be engaged in that, too.  But there is a working 

environment between the White House and the Congress that would 

suggest that we can make some progress on this legislation. 

	     

	     Q	  Were some of these issues or proposals or something 

very close to it included in the Republican balanced budget?  Did 

they --

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Some of the -- the asset reversions issue 

is in the Republican budget, and we specifically have objected to and 

indicated that's a source of real concern to the President.  In fact, 

our package of measures we've talked about today would block the step 

that the Republican Congress tried to promulgate.

	     

	     Q	  What about IRA expansion --

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  I think, again let me reflect on what we 

were saying earlier, in this area there is some overlap between the 

two parties on what they think needs to be done to protect pensions 

and to make pensions more available and more affordable.  Some of 

these ideas on pension simplification and 401K plans have been around 

for a while and there have been experts on both sides of the aisle 

advocating these types of steps.

	     

	     So I think that's -- we are encouraged.  This is not in 

every sense something that's new that we're putting forward because 

what you need to do to expand pension availability and how you can 

make it more affordable for a small employer to provide it are ideas 

that I think are fairly well-known.  The important thing is to try to 

get it done, and we're obviously trying to put a focus on it here so 

we can move the ball.

	     

	     Q	  Mike, how about the chaos in Liberia?  It seems to 

be generalized.  Have you heard anything lately about removal of U.S. 

citizens? 




	     MR. MCCURRY:  The latest we've got is the evacuation is 

expected to continue over the next several days.  They have made some 

adjustments to reflect the security situation.  But they are getting 

people out.  The information we have from the State Department is 

they've got a total of about 560 people who have now been evacuated 

from the embassy compound.  And at this hour over at the State 

Department I believe they are providing additional information.  




	     Q	  There are many others that aren't Americans also, 

right? 




	     MR. MCCURRY:  One hundred fifty-one of those 560 are 

American citizens.  




	     Q	  Mike, you talked about the President wanting to act 

quickly to find a successor for Commerce.  Has he made a decision 

whether he wants to put a nominee up for OMB or whether he wants to 

allow someone to remain as acting --




	     MR. MCCURRY:  He has got several vacancies, several 

personnel issues that he is looking at, and OMB is, of course, one of 

them, and he is working through a variety of appointment issues with 

the Chief of Staff, the Vice President, and others. 




	     Q	  Dr. Rivlin is expected to depart at the end of the 

month, is that right?




	     MR. MCCURRY:  I don't remember what she has announced as 

her schedule.  I would have to check on that. 




	     Q	  Would you expect anything happening soon on that 

front, on OMB?




	     MR. MCCURRY:  I wouldn't rule that out. 




	     Q	  You had mentioned bragging rights on trade.  You've 

got a $59-billion trade imbalance with Japan, and I think that they 

have only opened up like 30-some car dealerships, not the 200 that 

you had envisioned.  What are you talking about? 




	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, we are talking about specifically in 

those areas that we have agreements -- I think there have been 

something like 75, 80 percent increase in export activity in those 

areas covered by agreements under the framework.  Now, we are going 

to do a lot more on this tomorrow.  Dr. Tyson and Mickey Kantor will 

be here for a briefing tomorrow to walk through some of that.




	     The point is that in those areas where we have reached 

agreements, those agreements are making a measured difference.  There 

is more work to do.  We would be the first to acknowledge we have to 

continue to work to open markets and continue to make sure that trade 

is free and fair, and that is something that this President has 

pledged to working on.  But the point, is we are making progress, and 

that is the progress that we will describe in greater detail 

tomorrow.  




	     One last question. 




	     Q	  Just on a lighthearted note, on this movie, the CBS 

movie the President is going to appear in, what made him decide to do 

this one?  He must be asked to do quite a few different things like 

this.  




	     MR. MCCURRY:  Well, in this one it was the strength of 

the presentation he got from Larry Horowitz and Diane Quinn, who are 

the coproducers.  They -- it sounds like a very -- you know, a fun 

project for the President, but also a very worthy made-for-TV 

special.  It deals with the passage of the Family Medical Leave Act.  

I think all of you know how strongly the President has supported that 

and was involved in that.  He has got -- it doesn't take a great deal 

of time to do this, and he has nothing other than a cameo role.  But 

since it features -- 




	     Q	  Does that mean there is no comment? 




	     MR. MCCURRY:  Cameo.  That's the Zulu pronunciation.  

(Laughter.)




	     Q	  That was his first car, a cameo.  (Laughter.)




	     MR. MCCURRY:  That's right.  So anyhow, he thinks it 

would be a fun thing to do and it would promote a piece of 

legislation that has made it much more possible for families to take 

care of children who are facing devastating diseases.  And for his 

own part, his proceeds -- he has got to get paid a union wage for his 

short work in it and the 500 bucks or so that he would get he will 

give to the Make A Wish Foundation, donate it to that charity. 




	     Q	  So is it going to have a shot where you bust into 

the Oval Office with some sort of urgent message? 




	     MR. MCCURRY:  Yes, I think it will be -- I think the 

scene, if I checked my edits correctly, did require for the Press 

Secretary to burst in with urgent news at an appropriate time.  

(Laughter.)

	     

	     Q	  When will this be filmed?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  They're going to do it in early May.  They 

apparently are starting -- they're shooting out on the West Coast now 

and they expect to be here sometime in early May and we'll take a 

couple of hours to do this.

	     

	     Q	  Will they do it in the Oval Office?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Yes.  The scene, as I understand it, 

involves the President meeting the child in the Oval Office.

	     

	     Q	  Will he stick to the script, do you think, or be a 

textual deviant?

	     

	     Q	  Now, is this based loosely on this story that he 

tells about seeing this family that went through the White House?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  This is built -- and it's a fictional 

account that is a composite of two real-life stories.  Ginny has got 

some more information if you are interested in that. 

	     

	     Anything else?  All right, we'll see you later on.

	     

	     Q	  When is it going to air?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  It will air -- my understanding is CBS 

says it will air most likely sometime in December.  

	     

	     MS. TERZANO:  November or December.

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  Sometime in November or December.

	     

	     Q	  Not during the campaign?

	     

	     MR. MCCURRY:  No, not during the campaign.  And we were 

sensitive, of course, to equal time provisions and that -- the proper 

way to do it.

	     

	     THE PRESS:  Thank you.




             END                          1:21 P.M. EDT

	     

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