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Skriven 2007-06-07 23:30:56 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0706072) for Thu, 2007 Jun 7
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President Bush Meets with Prime Minister Blair of the United Kingdom in
Heiligendamm, Germany
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 7, 2007

President Bush Meets with Prime Minister Blair of the United Kingdom in
Heiligendamm, Germany Kempinski Grand Hotel Heiligendamm, Germany

˙˙White House News

˙˙˙˙˙ G8 Summit 2007

9:26 A.M. (Local)

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: Well, obviously, this is a summit where we'll be
discussing two crucial issues. One is the change in the climate and the
actions that we need to take in order to address that. And I think this is
a very substantial coming together around the need to make sure that we
have a substantial reduction in emissions and find the right process and
the right way that we can achieve that.

And I think with the President's speech last week this has moved the
situation on a great deal. I think there is a real desire to come together.
I think everyone wants to be part of a post-Kyoto deal, everyone wants to
try and make sure that that is a deal that's got to be, that includes all
the major emitters. And everyone wants to make sure that that deal can then
command broad agreement right across the international community and
deliver what people want to see -- both for reasons of the environment and
for reasons of energy security.

However, I think both myself and the President are very concerned, as well,
to make sure that we do not simply focus on climate change -- we've also
got to focus on recommitting ourselves to the Gleneagles process on Africa,
on making major steps forward there in relation to things like HIV/AIDS and
education. In addition to that, of course, there's the situation in Darfur,
where we both are anxious that there is strong action taken. And then we've
also managed to have a word, too, about the world trade talks which we want
to see reach a successful conclusion.

So, I mean, there's still obviously a lot of talking and discussing going
on, and we're about to go in for the main session now. But I do feel,
myself, that people are coming together, and I think that's important.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Good start there.

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: You know, we had a press conference in the Rose Garden
where, you know, it was the last time on U.S. soil I'll be standing next to
the Prime Minister talking about what we believe and how our efforts are
going to lead to peace and to a better world for a lot of people. This is
the last meeting I will have had with him as Prime Minister. It's a
nostalgic moment for me; I'm sorry it's come to be, but that's what happens
in life. We'll move on.

Tony said we talked about global climate change. I told him in Washington,
and I recommitted myself today, that the United States will be actively
involved, if not taking the lead, in a post-Kyoto framework, post-Kyoto
agreement. I view our role as a bridge between people in Europe and others
and India and China. And if you want them at the table, it's important to
give them an opportunity to set an international goal. And that's why I
laid out the initiative I laid out.

And I told Tony that we're deadly earnest in getting something done; this
is serious business. And the fundamental question is how best to send
proper signals to create the technologies necessary to deal with this
issue. And as we discuss global climate change, it's really important we
don't forget those who are dying. And I appreciate this man's commitment to
global AIDS -- fighting global AIDS. We do that ourselves; laid out a $30
billion initiative. I'm very proud of the United States citizens for
supporting such an initiative.

Over the past three years, anti-retroviral drugs has been extended from --
to over a million people, up from 50,000. So it's important to debate the
environment and discuss it. It's also important for those of us who have
got the wealth to put it to use to save lives. The malaria initiative we
talked about is a really important initiative, and I hope that countries
here at the G8 join Great Britain and the United States in saving lives
that can be saved in a pretty easy way. It just takes will, focus and
effort.

We did discuss Darfur. I'm frustrated, but the international organizations
can't move quickly enough. I don't know how long it's going to take for
people to hear the call to save lives. I will be stressing, along with
Tony, the need for nations to take action. If the U.N. won't act, we need
to take action ourselves, and I laid out a series of sanctions that I think
hopefully will affect Bashir's behavior. But enough is enough in Darfur.

We talked about Doha. We're committed to doing a deal in Doha. If you're
interested in alleviating poverty around the world, then they ought to be
joining and making the necessary concessions to have a global trading
system that helps affect the poor.

So I've come with a broad agenda and a serious agenda, and so has the Prime
Minister. And it's been a good, meaningful discussion, as usual. We'll
answer one question apiece, then we've got to go get our picture taken.

Q Mr. President, you've said it's important to set an international goal.
How long does the world have to wait for America to set a goal that others
can measure of how much you're cutting greenhouse gasses by?

And Prime Minister, if I could ask you about another matter: Were you aware
that your government was approving payments to a friend of President Bush's
as part of British Aerospace's kickback system, and is that why you
suspended a fraud inquiry?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Glad you're answering that question. (Laughter.) A friend
of mine. (Laughter.)

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: On the point you asked me -- let me make one thing
very clear: I'm not going to comment on the individual allegations. And a
lot of this, of course, relates to things that go back to the 1980s.

But let me just make one thing very, very clear to you: This investigation,
if it had gone ahead, would have involved the most serious allegations and
investigations being made of the Saudi royal family, and my job is to give
advice as to whether that is a sensible thing, in circumstances where I
don't believe the investigation (inaudible) would have led anywhere, except
to the complete wreckage of a vital strategic relationship for our country
in terms of fighting terrorism, in terms of the Middle East, in terms of
British interests there. Quite apart from the fact that we would have lost
thousands -- thousands -- of British jobs.

So I totally understand why you guys have got to do your job, but I've got
to do mine. And mine is sometimes taking these decisions about what I
believe to be in the strategic interests of our country, and holding to it.
And that's what I've done.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Greenhouse gasses declined last year in the United States,
in spite of the fact that our economy grew. Not many countries can make
that claim. In other words, we're taking steps necessary to be good
stewards of the environment, at the same time, advance technologies. Our
record is a strong record. We've spent billions of dollars on technologies
necessary to make us less dependent on foreign sources of oil, and at the
same time, good stewards of the environment.

Secondly, as I proposed, that by the end of 2008 the world's emitters of
greenhouse gasses should come together and set an international goal.
Nothing is going to happen, in terms of substantial reductions, unless
China and India are participating. And so it is our role to serve as a
bridge between people who have got one point of view about how to solve
greenhouse gases, and about how to get the developing nations, such as
China and India, to the table.

In the meantime, we'll move forward with a very aggressive agenda. I don't
know if you followed my speeches in the United States, but I said we'll
reduce gasoline usage by 20 percent over the next 10 years. And the way you
do that is through technologies and ethanols and battery technologies, and
I'm convinced we'll meet that goal. And in so doing, we'll be, yet again, a
world leader when it comes to new technologies.

Jennifer.

Q Thanks. Last night, the Russians said again -- Putin's spokesman said
again that everything they've heard from you and from your staff about
missile defense has left them unconvinced. Is there -- what can you say to
President Putin today that's maybe different or more specific than what
we've heard so far that might change his mind?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, I mean, the -- I'm looking forward to my meeting with
Vladimir Putin. A missile defense system cannot stop multiple launch
regimes. In other words, the facts are, is that -- the fact is this: that
you can't stop two, three, four, five missiles. And, therefore, I will
explain to him once again that a missile defense system is aimed at a rogue
regime that may try to hold Russia and/or Europe and the United States
hostage. I think the best thing for me to do is just talk about the facts.

Secondly, it is important for Russia and Russians to understand that I
believe the Cold War ended, that Russia is not an enemy of the United
States, that there's a lot of areas where we can work together -- for
example, in Iran or areas of proliferation. There's a lot of constructive
work we can do.

And so I'm looking forward to my dialogue with Vladimir Putin this
afternoon. It's hopefully an attempt to find other areas where we can work
together and make sure our rhetoric doesn't cause concern in our respective
countries and here in Europe. He can be -- he doesn't have to be viewed as
an enemy, see. And the missile defense system should say, we can work
together. I actually think that Russia ought to participate with us. If
it's aimed at dealing with a rogue regime, then it makes sense for Russia
to say, let's join, let's share technologies.

And so I will reiterate the proposal we made, and that's, send your
generals to the United States, send your scientists to the United States,
and we'll share -- share our vision. And hopefully that will help.
Hopefully, the visit this afternoon will make it clear that we have no
animosity, we bear no ill will. We're simply trying to deal with the true
threats of the 21st century. And I repeat, Russia is not a threat. They're
not a military threat. They're not something that we ought to be
hyperventilating about. What we ought to be doing is figuring out ways to
work together.

Thank you all.

END 9:38 A.M. (Local)
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