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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 27, 1993

                       REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
       IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATIC FORUM
             
                          The Roosevelt Room

10:20 A.M. EDT

Q Mr. President, are these your delay in gridlock friends?

THE PRESIDENT: These are my friends. (Laughter.) This group had always supported an aggressive approach to deficit reduction, the balanced approach.

Q Are you sure? (Laughter.)

Why is Secretary Christopher coming back?

THE PRESIDENT: Because I want to talk with him about the Middle East before he goes there.

Q Do you think the peace process is in jeopardy, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I hope not. I'm not -- I certainly have no reason to believe that it is, but obviously I'm concerned about it. And I don't think -- I think the Syrians have shown commendable restraint so far. And I don't think we should let Hezbollah and all these groups that don't want anything good to happen in the Middle East derail the peace process by what they do. I don't think we should, any of us, should allow that. I mean, really want something to happen there. So I'm very hopeful. But I thought that in view of the events there, that he ought to come home and we ought to have a conversation about it before he goes to the Middle East.

THE PRESS: Thank you.

END10:22 A.M. EDT