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E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E O F T H E P R E S I D E N T

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release February 23, 1993
                         REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
                        IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH
                 SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI
        
                             The Oval Office

4:10 P.M. EST

Q Mr. President, is an airdrop enough to relieve the suffering? Will that do the job of getting food to people?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, if we can reach an agreement, it will help, I think.

Q How close are you to an agreement, Mr. President?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't know. We can't talk until you leave. (Laughter.)

Q Do you think that there is some risk, though, of this being the first step to an engagement that we won't be able to get out of?

THE PRESIDENT: Not necessarily, no. Not at all.

Q Why not?

THE PRESIDENT: Because what we're discussing is very different. It has no combat connotations, whatever, and it's purely humanitarian and quite limited.

Q Isn't there a risk of people being shot at by antiaircraft artillery?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, if we do it, we'll have an announcement that deals with that. We think the risks are quite small.

END4:11 P.M. EST