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Skriven 2007-06-08 23:31:44 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070608b) for Fri, 2007 Jun 8
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President Bush Participates in Joint Statement with President Kaczynski of
Poland
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 8, 2007

President Bush Participates in Joint Statement with President Kaczynski of
Poland Gdansk Lech Walesa International Airport Gdansk, Poland

˙˙White House News

˙˙˙˙˙ G8 Summit 2007

8:22 P.M. (Local)

PRESIDENT KACZYNSKI: (As translated.) Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I
would like to welcome everybody to the meeting between President Kaczynski
and President Bush.

The talks have been longer than expected, yes. Mr. President, ladies and
gentlemen, we have had a longer meeting with President George W. Bush, and
the subject of the conversation were the issues of interest to the United
States of America and for Poland, our country.

Certainly we talked about the issue of missile defense system. We talked
about problems pertaining to the relations with our very important Russian
partner. We talked about the situation in Iran a little; also a little
about the situation in Kosovo. But, of course, the main subject of talks
were the two first issues.

I can tell you that as far as the missile defense system is concerned, the
two parties fully agree. And this is in line with the obvious thing, that
the system has no aggressive intentions. This is the plan which is to
reenforce the protection of Europe against the dangers which result from
the fact that not all the countries of the contemporary world are
responsible -- we do not mean Russia here. It's about other states.

As far as relations with our Russian partner are concerned, well, we agree
that Russia is an important country in the world and that the status of
Russia, which is very extensive territorally, and is also very numerous in
terms of population, and it has nuclear capability, which is the legacy
from the previous period -- that all these factors give Russia basis for
being a country important in the world, a country which really is very
important. And the United States and Poland do not question that situation.

However, it is important that our Russian partner, with which Poland wants
also to have as good relations as possible -- the United States has good
relations with that country -- but that Russia should recognize that the
world has changed for the last 18 years, and it concerns also Central and
Eastern Europe, and in particular, it concerns our country.

No plans of the United States, as the U.S. President said, or Polish plans
are directed against the interests of the Russian Federation. The Russian
Federation can feel totally safe, at least from the respective of our
countries, although there are some other larger states -- large states in
the world, and some other entities are responsible for those states.
However, the whole plan of the missile defense system is the plan which
gives rights to more stability and defense, defense which is needed to
guard against irresponsible actions, without any additional objectives
here.

However, as far as other uses are concerned which were subjects to our
talk, I introduced what I know about the issues related to the Western
Balkans, because it is known that not long ago there was a meeting in
Brussels, where I talked with almost all the leaders of the Western Balkan
states. We talked also about Kosovo, the crucial problem there. We talked
also about how, in Polish opinion, the solution pertaining to that region,
formerly, the part of Serbia, however, in reality, it is a separate
identity and how the relations pertaining to that region can be really
reflected on other parts of the world.

We also talked about the stabilizing role of NATO today, and I hope that
tomorrow, to an even larger extent. We also talked a little about the
European Union. We talked about the states with which the United States is
befriended and Poland is befriended. For example, the German Federal
Republic. We also exchanged views on France. President George W. Bush had
already had a chance to talk longer with President Sarkozy during the
meeting of G8, and I had only a brief encounter with him two years ago when
I was not President yet. But in two days time I'm going to meet him.

The conversation which we have had, very interesting, important for myself
at least. I'm sure it will be followed up another meeting in mid-July. And
then we will come to concrete results. The beginning of that was the
meeting today, very fruitful for myself. And I want to thank you very much,
Mr. President, for coming to Poland. Thank you. Thank you very much.

And now, President George W. Bush.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you for your gracious hospitality.
Laura and I are so honored to be with you and Mrs. Kaczynska. I think
probably the highlight was to meet your granddaughter. And congratulations
on the birth of another granddaughter.

This is our third trip to Poland. We have never been in this beautiful part
of your country, and it's spectacular. We really thank you for inviting us
to Jurata. Thank you for the walk in the woods. And thank you for the very
friendly and important dialogue we had.

The President talked a lot about what we talked about. One thing I do want
to do is praise this good country for being so strong for freedom. I love
to be in a land where people value liberty, and are willing to help others
realize the blessings of liberty. Kosciuszko is a statue right across the
street from the White House, on which it says, "For our freedom and yours."
Isn't that interesting? For our freedom, and somebody else's. Poland is a
great advocate for democracy in the world today.

And I thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership in the cause of
freedom. You're very much involved in the cause of freedom in two very
difficult theaters: Afghanistan and Iraq. I thank you and I thank the
people of Poland for the sacrifices they made so that others may live in a
free society. You've deployed nearly 900 troops in Iraq, troops that are
helping the Iraqi people defend their young democracy against extremists,
radicals who murder in the name of an ideology to deny people the right to
live in a free society. And I thank you for the leadership. I appreciate
the fact that you've made the decision to extend the deployment through
2007. That is a bold and hard decision, I know. The people of Iraq will
never forget it.

And it's important for those families who have lost a loved one in the Iraq
theater to understand the American people won't forget it, either. And we
send our prayers and blessings to those families.

Recently, in Afghanistan, there was a call for more NATO help, and this
government stepped up quickly by sending more troops to help that young
democracy survive, as well. So, Mr. President, thank you for your
leadership. It's a proud moment in history when free countries are able to
help others.

That's how you -- that's how you set the stage for peace. Free societies
don't war with each other. That's why Europe is now whole, free, and at
peace. Our dream is the same blessings of liberty be extended to the Middle
East. I thank you for your stalwart support.

We discussed, as well, the efforts by Poland to help people who are -- need
to be free from governments that are -- darken their vision. I thank you
very much for your leadership for Belarus, the people of Belarus, a nation
where peaceful protestors are beaten and opposition leaders are
disappeared.

I appreciate so very much your speaking out on behalf of the dissidents in
Cuba -- an island right off our coast, as you know, Mr. President, and it
is inspiring for the people of Cuba who want to live in a free society to
hear the voices from Europe, such as yours or the Czech Republic's.

We had a -- spent a lot of time talking about the Ukraine. I thank you for
your insight. And then, of course, we did talk about missile defense, a
subject that the President and I spent a lot of time talking about. It's a
subject I spent a lot of time talking about with President Putin yesterday.

First, let me say I appreciate the support of the deployment of the missile
defense interceptors here in Poland. We will negotiate a fair agreement
that enhances the security of Poland, and the security of the entire
continent against rogue regimes who might be willing to try to blackmail
free nations. That's the true threat of the 21st century. It's a subject
that I told you I discussed with President Putin.

I have made clear what you just made clear, Mr. President, the system we
have proposed is not directed at Russia. Indeed, we would welcome Russian
cooperation on missile defense. We think it makes sense to have a -- and I
proposed, and he accepted, a working group from our State Department,
Defense Department and military, to discuss different opportunities and
different options, all aimed at providing protection for people from rogue
regimes who might be in a position to either blackmail and/or attack those
of us who live in free societies.

All in all, we had the kind of conversation you'd expect strong allies to
have. It was candid, it was over a really good meal, and I'm looking
forward to bringing you back, Mr. President, to the White House. I can't
wait to see you there in mid-July. Again, thank you all for your wonderful
hospitality. God bless the people of Poland.

END 8:32 P.M. (LOCAL)

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