 Who else going to be some changes at the White House? Yes Well ladies and gentlemen, I wanted to share with you this morning some of the more Significant results of this trip and to take a few of your questions before we leave for home The journey to Europe has involved many highs and yes some anguishing moments It took us to one of Europe's youngest capitals and two of its oldest Into a city which symbolizes the continuing quest for European unity and at every stop I Emphasize that our European friends can count on the United States to be their partner To help them grow to support their democratic aspirations and to stand with them to protect the peace We're leaving today With our Atlantic ties strengthened and we're returning home Mission accomplished Let me summarize what I believe to be our lasting achievements First our visit to the Federal Republic has strengthened u.s. German relations and the prospects for continuing peace in Europe The German leadership characterized our visitors opening a new page in German history. I believe that our partnership and friendship have never been greater or Stronger at the bond economic summit. We agreed to a common strategy to ensure continued economic prosperity and job creation We also move closer to our goal of launching a new multilateral trade round to eliminate barriers to free trade All the summit countries have agreed to the need for a new round all, but one agreed that it should begin early next year We were pleased that our partners endorsed u.s. Efforts in Geneva to achieve significant reductions in nuclear arms We also reached agreement for intensified cooperation against international drug trafficking Next at the European Parliament in Strasburg We set forth a sensible framework for improved u.s. Soviet relations based on strength realism peaceful competition and Negotiations I Conveyed the Soviet Union once again America's heartfelt desire for peace The constructive common-sense initiatives we propose to reduce tensions between us deserve a serious Soviet response In Spain and Portugal we further enhanced our ties with two close friends and valued partners It was heartening to see firsthand the strides these two courageous democracies have made both politically and economically It's been a long historic and thoroughly worthwhile trip Issues of major significance were dealt with openly vigorously and in-depth From our meetings came a strongly shared commitment to freedom democracy growth and European unity and now I don't think I've left anything unanswered, but you probably want to ask some questions anyway All right, Andrea On defense yes now you've accepted that and you've also accepted no increase of freeze on all codes including Social Security Can you explain about your campaign promise and why you've changed your mind? Well, let's take the defense matter first the zero growth is for One year the first year and then the growth rate that we'd asked for for the next two years is included in this but at the same time and Just a little while ago and somewhere around four o'clock in the morning in Washington I had the assurance of the senators That this is done with the proviso that if at any time it the zero growth Reveals in the coming year that it is going to in any way Reduce our national security or harm it in any way. I will be back asking for a supplemental to overcome that now the second thing you asked about was Social Security Well, first of all I never I never felt during the when I was answering the Accusations that were made in a somewhat demagogic way in the campaign that I was going to cut the the Benefits reduce them for the recipients and I was denying that I had any such idea or would ever have as any such idea I didn't have in my mind that we were talking about any potential or possible increases But it was taken that way interpreted that way so okay. I live with that the thing that has been agreed to Actually will amount to about the same Benefits as the two two and two which I proposed now we have found that the two two and two That I had proposed That most people aren't aware of all of the terms of that And this is particularly true of the social security recipients Most of them were not aware or did not recall that if inflation drops below three percent there is no cola and Most of them were not aware that our two two and two was two Plus any percentage of increase in inflation above four percent and When this was pointed out to them in surveys Roughly around seventy percent of the people preferred that and said that they would They would take that now as I say we have all right So we have held for one year a freeze in this and then Return to the normal cola process So and as I say for three years that comes out about even to the two two two so the other thing that I did say was that unless I was faced with a mandate and I would suggest that I Was say faced with a mandate when seventy nine percent of the senators which means Pretty much half-and-half Democrat and Republican Demanded That we have some Some curbing of the colas In the fall with possibility of meeting Gorbachev and why is it that you can preach? Reconciliation to the Germans who who committed so many horrors and not say the same thing to the Soviet Union on this trip When I thought that I had said some things I told about the changes that we felt in this unifying of Europe should take place But I also emphasized that it must take place peacefully, but I was not suggesting any any hostile action The with regard to going to the UN No, we have no confirmation yet Mr. Gorbachev is coming the word probable was Is about the best way to describe it, but it did not that statement did not come from him I then extended an invitation that if he was going to be here the door was open for a meeting between us and That still goes so the the ball is in his court first to decide whether he's coming here and then second As to time and place for such a meeting if he is willing President in the past you've drawn a distinction between Dictatorships on the right and Marxist dictatorship saying those on the right can evolve into democracies, but communist dictatorships never do Yet here in Europe you have talked about the changes you want to see in Eastern Europe where communist dictatorships are most deeply entrenched How do you see those changes taking place and what is your role in those changes? Well, we've said that we would be most helpful to anyone who Wants to make this modification. We have seen enough examples in the Americas alone of military dictatorships or just outright dictatorships and Pressure from the people in the democratic process Changing those to the point that today south of our border Roughly 90% of the people in what we call Latin America Are now living in democracies or in countries that are moving toward democracy and the only two totalitarian powers in our Hemisphere and Nicaragua and Cuba the So it is true that there is evidence that Right-wing governments or dictatorships well, we're standing in one that has gone from dictatorship to To democracy the same was true in In Spain when we were there But it is true that the what has been called the Brezhnev doctrine has Been predominant that once they get their grip in a country. It doesn't change. There are evidences That that isn't true. What is a matter of fact that too happened here because in addition to dictatorial tradition there was a time when communism seemed to be Moving in here and again the people of Portugal have made that change bill and I'll take you Mr. President a few days ago an official of your government Richard Pearl and the Defense Department Said that it was his opinion that it was time for the United States to start violating or stop observing the salt agreements First of all, sir, what do you think of him offering that opinion and second? What do you think about it? Is it time to stop observing the salt agreement? Well, first of all, you know in that country of ours everyone's got a right to express their opinion and He was doing no more than that Something that I know is very precious to all of you But I would I'm trying to think of how I how I want to answer this This question maybe you better reframe that last part again so I can get my mind switched Let me put it this way sir. What do you think is it time for the United States to stop observing the salt treaty? Which all right, we've never ratified We have tried on what seemed to be a verbal agreement between ourselves and the Soviet Union for some time that even though We have not ratified that treaty it had been signed by the negotiators that we That we would both seek to abide by the the term There's considerable evidence now that That has been rather one-sided and If it has been then there's no need for us to continue But whether we do or not that's a decision to be made down the road Actually, we have not come to a point in which we in any way in our own build-up our Violating or going beyond the terms of that treaty it is possible with regard to one system of weapons That we might come to such a point and we'll make that decision then and if we do we'll do it openly and we will do it with full knowledge of the Soviet Union Everywhere that you went in Europe the foreign leader is opposed the Nicaraguan trade embargo and we now hear that Costa Rica has opposed it Why is it sir that some of your closest allies don't back you on this and don't seem to feel that or take on the Sandinistas of the threat that you think he is I Don't think there's any question Chris that they don't agree with us about the threat they do They know what Nicaragua is the other hand. We're running into a kind of a philosophical difference here I think with regard to sanctions. We did a lot of soul searching about it ourselves There are number of people and certainly a number of governments who just don't believe in that as a legitimate weapon on the other hand when we were trying to get aid for the people of Nicaragua in their struggle for democracy and against totalitarianism of Many of our own people in the Congress brought up the fact of how could we be doing this at the same time that we continued to Maintain relations Well, we had continued to maintain relations and even including trade relations with them as a refutation of their charge that we were seeking their overthrow All we have ever sought is that they as one faction when I say they I mean the Sandinista government that Sandinista government is never been legitimized by the people it is one faction of a revolution that overthrew a dictator and they Stole that revolution away from the other factions which we now call the Contras and the leaders of the Contras were leaders in that revolution also and in doing that We have felt that what we what we are seeking and been trying to pressure them to do is to Come together again in discussion and negotiations to restore The promises they themselves had made as to what the goals of the revolution were and in doing that And as I say to refute their charges that we were somehow threatening them with aggression And if you will remember there was a time when mr. Ortega had us every other week Landing the Marines in Nicaragua and we never had any intention to doing such a thing. So we maintained our embassy there We continued our trade to show that what we really wanted to do and Then in this recent Vote in the Congress we found many congressmen justifying their position on the grounds that how could we still be doing business and and Yet wanting to to aid these other factions the revolution and we have decided that Pressure is needed to bring them to the realization that they should Restore the original goals of their revolution In recent days Mr. Gorbachev has had some rather harsh things to say about the United States and about and about you If there is a summit meeting, what would you have to talk about and what do you think that such a meeting could? reasonably produce in the current climate Well, I think there'd be a lot to talk about and I just happened to believe that it's time We started talking to each other instead of about each other and With regard to the harsh things that he said to say about me wasn't new about that That And I think has been consistent not only with me, but with every other American president It's just their way of doing things I'd like to go back to the defense to budget a few days ago You told us it would be an irresponsible act to freeze it this morning. You seem to say it's okay to freeze it But if you discover in the future that it is irresponsible, you'll go back to Congress Doesn't that suggest sir that you don't really have a firm view of what figure is needed and doesn't it open you up in the House of Representatives to the house taking more out of the defense budget Not one penny more should be taken out of that budget That has been given now and as I've said We're talking about the year of 1986 and I have the agreement of the Senate that if This represents and I in my own Mind field that it does represent a cut in spending beyond which we should go that They recognize that I will be returning for a supplemental Appropriation On the other hand I have to point out to you with that in this We have gotten More than 90% of what we have asked for in the budget It will amount to some 56 billion dollars this year almost 300 billion dollars, which was our goal over the first three years and there's no questioning the importance of Sending a signal to not only the world but to our own business and financial communities that we are determined to Deal with a deficit problem That has been a democratic heritage for the last 50 years of deficit spending continued deficit spending And once and for all we're going to try to get hold of it Yes, Leslie As you probably well know you've been called the Teflon president now for almost five years You in this Senate vote on the budget Asked for a six percent increase in defense and no cuts in Social Security Why shouldn't this be interpreted as a cave-in on your part? And do you think that the Teflon has begun to peel? No, I have always believed from all my past experiences a negotiator that You recognize that the other fellow is probably going to offer less than whatever you ask and I've always kind of believed in leaving a cushion there for dealing but This time Things have changed. This was a deal. I don't like the word deal. This was the working out of a budget that was acceptable to the to the Senate as well as to ourselves and I think that the first one we presented was a very sound budget But I recognize that in the give-and-take That must take place in a system such as ours To attain more than 90 percent of what we asked for means that all right we can We can do some giving along the line also Oh I have a president waiting for me here. Can I take one more? All right one more and then I'm sorry Since you've shown a a willingness to compromise on the budget on defense and some of the spending programs Would you also be willing to compromise on your tax reform program as a price of getting that? We're 90 percent of it to accept perhaps a temporary tax increase or a surcharge No, you've now come down to what was part of our success in getting what we have they all know that I absolutely will not accept a proposal for a tax increase I Think it is the worst kind of economic practice to do that. I think it would endanger our recovery and They know that I will veto Any proposal that comes to me for a tax increase? They also know that I have a signed letter signed by a hundred and forty six representatives which is enough to sustain a veto that I have that in my pocket also So they tell me I have to go that your president is waiting Yes, I'm going to yeah Stefan camera of Portuguese television. Yes One question Mr. Pershing Would you compare to reception you have here in Portugal? With those in other countries in Europe Would you compare your reception here in Portugal? Well, may I say to you that every place I've been in Europe? I have been impressed by the warmth of the people by their Open hospitality and and welcome to me and That has held true here as much as in any other country and I have been greatly heartened by The reception of the people now if in your mind you are thinking in terms of certain demonstrations Well, I'd have that in my own country. There is a faction wherever you go that's on the other side and It happens to be a faction that kind of goes out of its way to be rude and nasty in expressing its opinion, but I've just come to accept that as part of the way of life and as Harry Truman said if you can't stand the heat Stay out of the kitchen. So I just have to tell you I'm most gratified I think I leave with the sound friendships with the people of your government personal friendships as well as Alliances between us or agreements between us and I'm very pleased Let me just say one thing and then I have to have to go back here Since there has been a lot of discussion about Some members of my administration and one in particular and this being Mike Dever's last day. I just want to say to you That I Consider Mike's leaving in the nature of an amputation and It is me that is suffering the amputation He has been with us a number of years. I have never found fault with anything that he's doing with his loyalty with his friendship and With the common sense that he has always used and that extends to the arrangements for this trip And the part that he has played in the arranging of the trip and while it was very difficult I know that most of you were totally exhausted Some of us to manage to survive a little better If so, it's because we had Mike working in our behalf Particularly and he's going to be greatly missed. All right. Thank you all