ACCESSION NUMBER:265346

FILE ID:POL105

DATE:02/01/93

TITLE:WHITE HOUSE REPORT, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 (02/01/93)

TEXT:*93020105.POL

WHITE HOUSE REPORT, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1



(Mulroney/U.S. visit, Bosnia, intelligence community, Haiti)  (340)

NEWS BRIEFING -- Communications Director George Stephanopoulos discussed

the following topics:



CLINTON SLATES TALKS WITH MULRONEY

President Clinton will meet February 5 with Canadian Prime Minister

Mulroney, Stephanopoulos announced.



The two leaders "will be discussing the range of bilateral issues of trade

and investment between our two countries," he said, adding, "I assume they

will talk about the North American Free Trade Agreement."



REVIEW ON BOSNIA CONTINUES

On prospects for negotiating a solution on the crisis in

Bosnia-Hercegovina now that the talks have been broken off, Stephanopoulos

noted that Secretary of State Christopher is receiving a report on how the

talks have gone.  "And we continue to hope that the parties...are able to

work out a settlement," he added.



Asked why the United States is not taking a more activist role in the

situation, Stephanopoulos replied:  "The president believes this is a

serious situation....We have an intensive review going on right now by the

National Security Council and the advisers, and we continue to review our

options."



INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONS SHOULD ADAPT TO "NEW WORLD"

Asked how the U.S. intelligence community may function differently under

the current administration, Stephanopoulos noted that the president has

talked about "trying to make the CIA (Central Intelligence Community

relevant to the 'new world' and the new kinds of technology that we have

right now, and, secondly, to focus more on economic interests and economic

intelligence."

1

POLICY ON HAITI UNCHANGED

On Haiti, Stephanopoulos reiterated that Clinton's position has not changed

when he was asked about reports that some 300 Haitians -- many suffering

from AIDS -- in Guantanamo Bay are going on a hunger strike trying to be

brought to the United States.



Clinton "wants to make sure that we continue to do everything we can to

reach a negotiated settlement to bring democracy back to Haiti, but if

people leave, they will be returned," Stephanopoulos said.



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