Press Conference Regarding Arms for Israel
(July 18, 1982)
Q. What about sending Henry Kissinger to the Middle
East as a special ambassador, sir?
The President. There've been no decisions or plans or anything of that
kind. Simply, George and Judge Clark [Secretary of State George P. Shultz
and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs William
P. Clark] have asked a few people like that to come in and have a meeting
and get their thoughts on what's going on.
Q. Have you made a decision on the cluster bombs and whether a new
shipment will go to Israel?
The President. No, we've only received their statement, and we've been
reviewing that.
Q. What is their statement?
Q. When are you going to make a statement?
Q. [Inaudible] -- good idea to take some time now and review arms to
Israel, particularly since a new shipment was to go -- --
The President. What?
Q. Is it a good time now to review what you might promise Israel, considering
another shipment was to go tomorrow?
The President. This is what's on our minds right now -- everything
to do with the Middle East -- and trying to find answers to that problem.
Q. What about the Syrian and the Saudi Foreign Ministers?
Q. What about the balanced budget, Mr. President? What are you going
to say tomorrow?
The President. Tune in tomorrow.
Q. What about the ones who say that with a big deficit -- you shouldn't
be campaigning for a balanced budget because you have the biggest deficits
in history.
The President. Yes, and there have been giant budgets for 21 of the
last 22 years that I didn't have anything to do with. Now, we're going
to try to turn the situation around.
Q. Mr. President, what did Mr. Begin say about -- in his reply, concerning
the -- what did Begin say in his reply concerning the use of the cluster
bomb?
The President. That report has just come in and is under study right
now.
Q. Is it satisfactory?
The President. I can't tell you. We'll tell you.
Q. Thank you.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |