Administration of George Bush, 1992 / June 16 to achieve what twice before this century ing in Russia. Your Russian revolution, like has escaped our grasp. It is the vision that our American Revolution, simply must suc- perished twice in the battlefields of Europe, ceed. the vision that gave us hope through the Once again, my friend, welcome to the long cold war, the dream of a new world White House. And may God grant a peace- of freedom. ful future to the American and the Russian Mr. President, when we think of the people. Welcome, sir. Glad you’re here. world our children and theirs will inherit, no single factor will shape their future more Note: The President spoke at 10:11 a.m. on than the fate of the revolution now unfold- the South Lawn at the White House.

Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Boris Yeltsin of Russia June 16, 1992

POW–MIA’s that’s what President Yeltsin has clearly Q. Mr. President, do you think there are pledged to do. So we are grateful to him any POW’s in the Soviet Union, Americans? for that. This to President Bush first and then Q. Does it come as a complete surprise Yeltsin. to you, Mr. President? President Yeltsin. It is possible. President Bush. Yes, it comes as a—— Q. Are they alive? Q. You had no idea? President Yeltsin. An investigating com- President Bush. Thank you all very much. mission is working, led by Mr. Volkogonov. Q. Have you got an arms agreement yet? Many things have been revealed after the President Bush. Out of here, Helen examination of the archives of the KGB and [Helen Thomas, United Press Inter- the Central Committee of the Communist national]. Party. But that work is continuing both in [At this point, one group of reporters left the archives and in the places where the the room, and another group entered.] POW’s were. We shall try to investigate each individual case. And all the informa- Q. ——additional information on the tion will be, of course, handed over to the American POW’s. American side. The initial information has President Yeltsin. As I just answered that been handed over to the Senate. question. Q. Would you expect more information Q. We were behind the doors. this week? President Yeltsin. The commission headed President Bush. Let me just thank Presi- by Volkogonov was working and is continu- dent Yeltsin for this because this is a matter ing to work, and they’re opening up all the of grave concern to the American people. data. If they said this issue doesn’t exist, He has made these observations, pledged that there are no POW’s there now, there full cooperation and support. I think this are a lot of factors being opened up and really expresses as well as anything else this discovered. And it’s very possible that there new era that we were both talking about are a few of them still left alive, even on on the lawn. And I have every confidence our own territory perhaps. So the commis- that what he says here is true, that they sion is continuing its work, and we are going will get to the bottom of it. And if any single to carry this all the way to the very ground American is unaccounted for, they will go to find out the fate of every single last the extra mile to see that that person is American who might be on our territory. accounted for. And I think that’s what the Q. How much time will that require? American people need to know. I think What new ideas and projects were you talk-

943 June 16 / Administration of George Bush, 1992 ing about in your opening statement? and finalize this today. And I’m sure that President Yeltsin. That’s ahead. That’s for we will find a solution, and we shall sign our negotiations. a balanced, equal agreement. I’m sure of that. Nuclear Arms Agreement Q. Do you think you will be able to an- Q. Boris Nikolayevich, tell us please, and nounce a new arms control agreement by you, Mr. Bush, both agree that the program the end of the day? is very, very intense, a lot on the plate, 20 President Bush. As soon as you get out different issues. What are you going to be of here, we’re going to talk about it. concentrating your attention on with Mr. Thank you all. Bush? President Yeltsin. First of all, national se- curity and deep cuts in nuclear arms. As Note: The exchange began at 10:35 a.m. in a matter of fact, up until now we have not the Oval Office. President Yeltsin spoke in yet finalized this issue, but we have met Russian, and his remarks were translated with the President and with our delegations, by an interpreter. A tape was not available of course, and the Secretaries of State and for verification of the content of this ex- the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to sit down change.

Remarks With President Boris Yeltsin of Russia Announcing Strategic Arms Reductions and an Exchange With Reporters June 16, 1992

President Bush. Mr. President. Let me Just a few years ago, the United States just say that I’m pleased to announce that was planning a strategic nuclear stockpile President Yeltsin and I have just reached of about 13,000 warheads. Now President an extraordinary agreement on two areas of Yeltsin and I have agreed that both sides vital importance to our countries and to the will go down to 3,000 to 3,500 warheads, world. with each nation determining its own force First, we have agreed on far-reaching new structure within that range. strategic arms reductions. Building on the I’d like to point out that this fundamental agreement reached with Russia, Ukraine, agreement, which in earlier years could not Kazakhstan, and Byelarus, our two countries have been completed even in a decade, has are now agreeing to even further dramatic been completed in only 5 months. Our abil- strategic arms reductions, substantially ity to reach this agreement so quickly is below the levels determined by START. We’ve agreed to eliminate the world’s most a tribute to the new relationship between dangerous weapons, heavy ICBM’s and all the United States and Russia and to the other multiple warhead ICBM’s, and dra- personal leadership of our guest, Boris matically reduce our total strategic nuclear Yeltsin. weapons. In the near future, the United States and Those dramatic reductions will take place Russia will record our agreement in a brief in two phases. They will be completed no treaty document that President Yeltsin and later than the year 2003 and may be com- I will sign and submit for ratification in our pleted as early as the year 2000 if the countries. President Yeltsin and I have also United States can assist Russia in the re- agreed to work together, along with the al- quired destruction of ballistic missile sys- lies and other interested states, to develop tems. With this agreement the nuclear a concept for global protection systems nightmare recedes more and more for our- against limited ballistic missile attack. selves, for our children, and for our grand- We will establish a senior group to ex- children. plore practical steps towards that end, in-

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