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Skriven 2006-03-01 23:33:16 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0603012) for Wed, 2006 Mar 1
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Press Briefing by Scott McClellan and Joe Hagin En Route Afghanistan
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 1, 2006

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan and Joe Hagin En Route Afghanistan
Aboard Air Force One
En Route Bagram Air Force Base, Afghanistan


˙˙˙˙˙President's Visit to India and Pakistan
˙˙˙˙˙In Focus: Afghanistan

8:59 P.M. EST

MR. HADLEY: Terry, I told you if there was a schedule change, you'd be the
first to know; you'd be second. We're going to go to Afghanistan.

Q Now?

MR. McCLELLAN: Now. That's what I came back here for. Joe is with me, but
we're going to be stopping in Afghanistan. That is where we are headed
right now. We will be landing at Bagram Air Force Base, and then when we
get there, we will be going to Kabul, to the presidential palace, where the
President and President Karzai will participate in a meeting. Following
that, there's going to be an expanded meeting with delegations from both
countries. It's a working lunch.

Then following that, the President will be going to the U.S. Embassy for
the ceremonial ribbon cutting. The embassy has actually been up and running
for a while, but this will be a ceremonial ribbon cutting to officially
open the embassy there. And then following that, we will return back to
Bagram Air Force Base, and the President will make remarks to U.S. and some
coalition forces that are there at the base. And then we will get back in
the plane and head to India, and continue with our schedule there.

Q What's the total time on the ground?

MR. McCLELLAN: About four hours, is that correct.

MR. HAGIN: I think it's four, but I will check.

MR. McCLELLAN: Joe will tell us in just a second. This is something that
initially, and, Joe, correct me if I'm wrong, but Joe brought this to the
President and Andy Card about eight weeks ago or so, the idea of going to
Afghanistan while we were headed to India and Pakistan. And for about the
last month, Joe and a number of other people have been quietly working to
put all the details and logistics together for this trip.

Is there anything to add to that, Joe?

MR. HAGIN: No, that's about it.

Q Can we file this now?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, not until we land.

MR. HAGIN: Embargoed until we land.

Q What's the objective?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, this will be the President's first visit to
Afghanistan. He's looking forward to it. And Afghanistan is a good friend
and ally. And we have very strong relations with the government in
Afghanistan, and the objective is to continue to build upon the strong
relationship that we have with Afghanistan, and also to show our strong
support for a young and emerging democracy.

Q The security risk, how serious --

MR. McCLELLAN: There are security precautions that are taken, and we're
confident in the security precautions that have been taken. One of those
was not informing you of the trip until now.

Q Big surprise.

MR. McCLELLAN: Did you figure out how many hours?

MR. HAGIN: It's about five hours.

MR. McCLELLAN: About five hours on the ground.

Q We're going to hear him speak only to the troops?

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. After the working lunch with
President Karzai and the delegations they will participate in a press
availability. I expect it will be similar to other formats, where they'll
each take a couple of questions.

Q How long is the flight? Do you know what time --

MR. McCLELLAN: It's about a seven hour flight there, from whenever we took
off, about 8:45 p.m. or so.

MR. HAGIN: Land at 12:35 p.m. arrival, roughly.

MR. McCLELLAN: Afghanistan time.

Q -- know we're going there?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, this is the first announcement to the press corps. You
all are the first. And as Steve said, he let you know first, as he
promised.

Q Can we do a wire call just to -- on an embargoed basis?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, not until we land. As soon as we land you can call it
in.

Q I'm not sure how my phone is going to work.

MR. HAGIN: It should work.

MR. McCLELLAN: It's embargoed until we touch down, but when we touch down,
you're free to call it in.

MR. HAGIN: If your phones aren't working, we'll lend you a phone.

Q About four weeks --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Joe brought this to the President and Andy Card about
eight weeks ago, roughly --

MR. HAGIN: I don't remember exactly, but it's been a while.

MR. McCLELLAN: Eight to 10 weeks ago, probably.

MR. HAGIN: It's about the time we agreed to do this trip to India and
Pakistan. Once we blocked that in --

MR. McCLELLAN: And then for the last month, Joe has been working on it,
along with a number of other people. I don't know if you want to add
anything to that?

MR. HAGIN: Military office and Secret Service.

Q Have you been there?

MR. HAGIN: I went with Mrs. Bush a year ago.

Q Who else? She's been, and then Cheney's been, right? Who else has been?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Condi --

MR. HAGIN: I'm pretty sure Secretary Rice has been.

MR. McCLELLAN: We'll double check with her. And Secretary Rumsfeld, yes.

Q Has another American President been to Afghanistan?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'll have to check that.

MR. HAGIN: We'll have to do a little research on that.

Q Lunch press availability --

MR. McCLELLAN: We get there, we land at Bagram, and then we go to Kabul,
presidential palace. The President and President Karzai will participate in
a meeting. That will be followed by working lunch with the delegations. The
first meeting is really just the two Presidents. And then a press
availability after that. Following that, we'll -- the President will
officially open the U.S. embassy there by participating in a ribbon cutting
ceremony. And then we return back to Bagram, and the President will make
some remarks to the troops there. I think it includes the coalition troops
there, as well, in addition to the American forces. And, yes, I expect
he'll visit with the troops one on one, shake some hands and everything
while we're there, as well.

Q Technically, will the remarks at the news conference be piped in to the
filing center in New Delhi, or anything like that?

MR. HAGIN: I'd be shocked, but I'll find out.

MR. McCLELLAN: All right, enjoy your breakfast.

****

MR. McCLELLAN: The President has been wanting to go to Afghanistan for some
time. When we were looking at going to India and Pakistan, Joe came to him
with the idea to do it on this trip.

Q (Inaudible.)

MR. McCLELLAN: -- and this stop will be an opportunity to show our support
for a good friend and emerging democracy. The United States stands firmly
with the people of Afghanistan as they chart their own future.

Q (Inaudible.)

MR. McCLELLAN: This is an opportunity to show our support for a good friend
and ally and emerging democracy. We stand firmly with the people of
Afghanistan as they work to chart their own future. It's also an
opportunity for the President to personally thank our men and women in
uniform who are serving and sacrificing in defense of freedom. So the
President looks forward to going for both of those important objectives.

END 9:20 P.M. EST
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