Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt

President Clinton. Good morning, everybody. Good afternoon.

Q. Good morning. What's on the agenda today?

President Clinton. A lot of things. But we're going to have a press briefing afterwards, so you'll get to ask all the questions.

Q. That's what you said yesterday, Mr. President. [Laughter]

President Clinton. And we did it, didn't we?

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Q. President Mubarak, will you support the extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty?

President Mubarak. We were one of the founders who participated in the drafting of the NPT since 1968. So we support the NPT 100 percent. We have no problem with the United States, anyway, concerning the NPT.

Q. Do you have a problem with Israel?

President Mubarak. No, we would like to find a solution so as to keep our area free of all mass destructive weapons. That's all.

Q. It sounds like you're going to sign.

President Mubarak. I'm not going to tell you now anything.

Q. Was President Clinton persuasive?

President Clinton. We just met 2 seconds ago. We're going to have a press briefing soon.

Q. Thank you.

[At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group entered.]

President Clinton. Good afternoon.

Egypt-U.S. Relations

Q. How would you describe the Egyptian-American relations?

President Clinton. I think it's very good. I've enjoyed working with President Mubarak, and I'm looking forward to this discussion. And of course, afterward, we'll have an opportunity to take your questions.

Q. President Clinton, will you ask Israel to fulfill its obligation and to deploy its forces from the West Bank and Gaza?

President Clinton. I'll answer the questions in the press briefing after I visit with President Mubarak.