Exchange With Reporters During a Meeting With Mayor Jacques Chirac of Paris, France

The President. Good morning. How are you? It's a wonderful city. It's wonderful to be back.

Bosnia

Q. Mr. President, do you think that the Bosnian Muslims should accept Akashi's proposal for a 4-month ceasefire?

The President. Well, we'd very much like to see a cessation of the fighting, and we're working on it. Ambassador Redman is here today, and I hope to have a chance to talk to him about it. I think I should defer any other comments until I get a chance to get a direct briefing. But we're trying to work out our schedule so I can see him today and get a firsthand account.

Anything we can do to stop the fighting, in my judgment, is a good thing.

France

Q. Mr. President, how would you qualify the relationship between France and the United States today, as you are in Paris?

The President. I think it's very good. And I think it will get better.

Bosnia

Q. Mr. President, on Bosnia, is the French Government applying any kind of pressure on Washington to apply pressure on the Bosnian Government to accept the peace plan that is proposed——

The President. Well, I wouldn't characterize it in that way. We're having discussions—I just talked with the mayor about it. And I intend to meet with the Prime Minister and the President today and, of course, to speak to the Assembly. But all of us want to try to bring an end to the fighting and have a settlement which can be a part of a comprehensive resolution to this.

North Korea

Q. [Inaudible]—the North Koreans didn't show up to the armistice meeting today, do you see that as a provocation?

The President. Excuse me, I didn't——

Q. The North Koreans didn't turn up to the armistice meeting today. Do you see that as a provocation?

The President. Not particularly. They've argued about the armistice setup for some years on and off. I don't—we're not in a good position there, as you know. Our relationships with them are not the best now because of this problem. And we're proceeding with the United Nations as we should. But I don't—this doesn't add any particular extra element to it.