George H.W. Bush: “We're not talking condi- tions. I want it done the way I talked about. And that's the way it should be done. It's only…”

“We're not talking condi- tions. I want it done the way I talked about. And that's the way it should be done. It's only right that it be done that way. I recognize I've got a hard sell from some Congressmen who did not listen to what I said before they were ready with their rebuttals. But that's all right. I can understand that. I can understand their anxiety about human rights. All I want them to do is understand mine and then understand that the way to move forward is to continue contacts and to continue supporting those elements in the Chinese society that are already changing and have changed. I referred to Guangdong Province in South China yesterday. And I also noted--this I should have said in my speech--that one of the mothers of one of the leading dissidents came to this country and was quoted in the newspapers as saying things were improving there. And she was permitted to come here, and she was out front now. Yesterday, I noticed they quoted--I believe it was on television; it might have been in the papers--one of the Yale students saying I didn't understand. But they might well have quoted the guy that walked across the platform, stopped, went out of his way--and it wasn't easy to do-- and said, thank you for what you're doing for the students. So, there's difference of opinion. We found that many of the students groups before supported our position on MFN. So, we've got a selling job, though, because I don't think I've made that point clearly enough yet. But just as we started uphill on fair trade, free trade agreement, we're starting perhaps a little behind on this. But I think I can explain it. I understand it, I'm strongly for it, and I know what I'm suggesting is in the best interest of the United States, not just China--in the best interest of our country. I've got to get out and make that as clear as I possibly can.”