George H.W. Bush: “Let me answer. We see some very positive elements in the Dunkel paper. I can't say--we certainly don't want to accept…”

“Let me answer. We see some very positive elements in the Dunkel paper. I can't say--we certainly don't want to accept less, if that was your question, and there's some things there that we would like to see improved. But I do think that there's a lot of good work being done there. And we will be working closely with the Europeans to try to get agreement. And I'd leave it right there because I don't want to indicate that we think that we've gotten everything that the United States wants, nor do we think that the Cairns group has gotten everything the Cairns group wants out of the Dunkel paper. All we're saying is it's a good position from which to finalize the agricultural part of trade and the rest of it, too. We've got some difficulties with some parts. Agriculture, we see, has moved fairly well. The Prime Minister. Could I add to that? I think that the thing which is most comforting to Australia--I think in answering the question, I'll make three points: The first is, it's a matter of great comfort to us that we have an internationalist as President of the United States, someone who has committed himself to an open trading system, multilateral trading system, that resisted protectionist pressures and is committed to seeing the GATT round successfully concluded. And as the President has said, there are elements of the GATT round that can't be--it's a package. Some parts all countries would be more satisfied with than others, but it is a package, and it's a package about round which we believe discussions can take place. If there is a successful conclusion of the GATT round, many other things will change, and including in that would be, of course, mandatory windbacks under EEP which you asked me about. And the President has agreed this morning that we will have an information exchange on EEP; that is, at least we will know more about the operation of EEP. And as well as that, we've asked him that where the U.S. is not engaged in sales in markets where the European Commission is engaged in sales, that is, in non-EC markets, would he examine those markets with a view to keeping the subsidization of EEP from them. He can't, obviously, at this point, give a clear commitment on the markets, but he has agreed to look and examine them. And we're very happy about that. So on the general point, we believe the GATT offers the best opportunity on trade generally, that the Dunkel package is just that, a package, and if adopted would lead to significant improvements in the trade and agriculture, and including the impact on EEP.”