    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [November 9, 2001]
    [Pages 1366-1369]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1366]]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Atal Bihari
    Vajpayee of India and an Exchange With
    Reporters
    November 9, 2001

        President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, welcome to the United States.
    It's my honor to welcome the Prime Minister of India to the White House
    for a series of discussions. My administration is committed to
    developing a fundamentally different relationship with India, one based
    upon trust, one based upon mutual values. After all, the Prime Minister
    leads a nation that is the largest democratic nation in the world.
        I look forward to working to foster ties that will help both our
    economies. Trade with India is going to be an important part of our
    growth in the future. India has got a fantastic ability to grow because
    her greatest export is intelligence and brainpower, as our country has
    learned over the last decades.
        We lifted sanctions on India so that our relationship can prosper.
    We will fight terrorism together. Our initial discussions focused on the
    battle against terror, and the Prime Minister understands that we have
    no option but to win. And he understands that there is a commitment--
    there needs to be a commitment by all of us to do more than just talk.
    It's to achieve certain objectives: to cut off the finances; to put
    diplomatic pressure on the terrorists; in some cases, to help
    militarily; but, in any case, stand firm in the face of terror.
        We also talked about the need to make sure humanitarian aid reaches
    those who hurt in Afghanistan. And we discussed a post-Taliban
    Afghanistan that enables the country to survive and move forward and one
    that represents all the interests of the people of Afghanistan.
        Over lunch, I look forward to talking about a new joint
    cyberterrorism initiative and a civilian space cooperation program, as
    well as discussing our mutual concerns about energy and the ability to
    conserve it, as well as to have plentiful supplies as we go into the
    future.
        So, Mr. Prime Minister, I am extremely optimistic about our
    relationship. It's an important relationship for our country. And I
    welcome you to the United States. Thank you for coming.
        Prime Minister Vajpayee. Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind
    words. It is a pleasure to be here to continue the practice of regular
    dialog that India and the USA have established in recent years.
        I was happy to be able to personally reiterate our sympathy,
    solidarity, and support for the American people in the aftermath of
    terrible events of September 11th.
        We admire the decisive leadership of President Bush in the
    international coalition against terrorism. We also applaud the
    resilience and resolve of the American people in this hour of trial.
    This terrible tragedy has created the opportunity to fashion a
    determined global response to terrorism in all its forms and
    manifestations, wherever it exists and under whatever name. I assured
    President Bush of India's complete support in this.
        At the same time, as material leaders, pluralist democracies, we
    should clearly spread the message that the war against terrorism is not
    against any religion but against terrorists whose propaganda misuses
    religion.
        President Bush and I had a very good conversation, which we will
    continue over lunch. In the last few months, there has been an intensive
    interaction between our two countries on a wide range of bilateral
    subjects. We have moved forward on the dialog architecture and on
    defense cooperation. A resumption of the bilateral defense policy group
    should promote technical cooperation in defense and security.

    [[Page 1367]]

        The Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism has made good progress,
    and we have agreed to launch a joint cyberterrorism initiative. Economic
    and commercial relations are expanding. We have agreed to broaden the
    bilateral economic dialog to include new areas of cooperation. Both of
    us agree that the synergies and complementarities between our two
    countries should be more fully exploited.
        We discussed the urgent need for a political order in Afghanistan
    which would be broad-based, representative, and friendly with all
    countries in its neighborhood. Equally important is sustained
    international assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction work in
    that country. We agreed that India and the USA, in partnership with
    other countries, would work towards these goals.
        Today the President and I continued, face to face, the dialog which
    we have been conducting over the last 10 months on the phone and through
    letters. It has been an extremely rewarding experience. To sustain the
    momentum of the dialog, I have reiterated to President Bush my
    invitation to visit India. I look forward to receiving him in New Delhi.
        Thank you.
        Q. Mr. President----
        Q. Mr. President----
        President Bush. Hold on for a minute, please. The Prime Minister has
    agreed to take a couple of questions, and so have I. I think I will
    start, Mr. Prime Minister, with Fournier [Ron Fournier, Associated
    Press], Associated Press man.

    War on Terrorism

        Q. Thank you, sir. Before meeting with you today, the Prime Minister
    told the Washington Post that the U.S. was not prepared for the war in
    Afghanistan, which he said was ``less than satisfactory'' and
    ``slackening.'' The Saudi Foreign Minister, who you are meeting with
    later today, told the New York Times that you can't be an honest broker
    in the Middle East peace process until you meet with Arafat. Is it
    helpful that your coalition members are airing their gripes in public?
    And what will you say to them about these charges, face to face?
        President Bush. Well, the Prime Minister and I had a very good
    discussion about the progress we're making on this particular part of
    the war against terror. He understands what I understand, that we're
    just only beginning to fight terrorism in Afghanistan.
        I assured him exactly what I've been assuring the American people,
    that I've got the patience necessary to achieve our objective in the
    Afghan theater, and the objective is to bring the Al Qaida to justice
    and to make sure that Afghanistan has got a stable form of government
    after we leave. I also told the Prime Minister that we're achieving our
    military objectives.
        This is a different kind of war. It's a war that matches high-
    technology weapons with people on horseback. It's a war in which the
    enemy thinks they can hide in caves and we'll forget about them. It is a
    war that's going to take a deliberate, systematic effort to achieve our
    objectives. And our Nation has not only got the patience to achieve that
    objective, we've got the determination to achieve the objective. And we
    will achieve it.
        I appreciate the candid discussions we have with our coalition
    partners. I think it's important that we have these discussions. And the
    Prime Minister and I had such a discussion, and I was glad to be able to
    make the case as to why we're going to be successful.
        Having said all the newspaper stories and all that business, I will
    tell you, our coalition has never been stronger.
        Q. Mr. President----
        President Bush. Excuse me for a minute, please. The coalition has
    never been stronger. I'll make the case tomorrow at the United Nations
    that the time of sympathy is over. We appreciate the condolences.

    [[Page 1368]]

    Now is the time for action. Now is the time for coalition members to
    respond in their own way. And the Prime Minister of India understands
    that, and he is responding. And the Saudi Arabian Government understands
    that, and they are responding as well.
        Mr. Prime Minister.
        Q. This is a question for President Bush. Sir, why are there two
    laws in this world, one for America and one for the rest of us?
        President Bush. Why is there--excuse me, two?
        Q. Two laws in this world--one for America and one for the rest of
    us? When terrorism hits America, you go halfway across the world and
    make war in Afghanistan. But when we suffer terrorism, you ask us to be
    restrained. Is an Indian life less precious than an American life?
        President Bush. I think there is one universal law, and that's:
    Terrorism is evil, and all of us must work to reject evil. Murder is
    evil, and we must reject murder.
        When the terrorist attacks took place on October the 1st, I strongly
    condemned them, and I will continue to condemn them. And that's--excuse
    me. Our coalition is strong because leaders such as the Prime Minister
    fully understand that we must reject terrorism in all its forms and
    murder in all its causes in order for the world to be peaceful.
        Holland [Steve Holland, Reuters].
        Q. Can we get a reaction from the Indian Prime Minister to that?
        President Bush. Excuse me, please, sir.

    Aviation Security

        Q. Sir, with the aviation security bill still languishing on the
    Hill, why won't you agree to make the baggage screeners Federal
    employees? What's the holdup here?
        President Bush. Steve, I think that I've asked for the Senate and
    the House to come up with a plan that will work, that will not only make
    sure that as we transition to a new system that there is security for
    the American people, that in the long run there is security for the
    American people. And I believe progress is being made.
        Like yourself, or like your question implies, it would be nice to
    have had the bill done yesterday. But sometimes democracy doesn't work
    quite that fast. But the negotiators are working hard to come up with a
    bill that I can sign, and I believe they will come up with a bill that I
    can sign.
        The House had a version; the Senate had a version; and now they're
    reconciling their differences. I don't believe they're that far apart,
    nor did I believe they were that far apart when the process began. And I
    think that, from what I'm told, progress is being made. And for that,
    I'm grateful.
        Mr. Prime Minister.

    War on Terrorism

        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, was India's concerns of cross-border
    terrorism specifically reflected in your endorsement of the American
    President? And have you achieved some headway in convincing him that
    countries that are part of the problem cannot be part of the solution
    today?
        Prime Minister Vajpayee. This question of cross-border terrorism has
    been getting our attention in both the countries. Recently, a bomb
    attack was made on the Legislative Assembly of the Jammu and Kashmir.
    Even Pakistan realized that it was a case of terrorism.
        We have to fight terrorism in all its forms. We have to win this
    battle against terrorism. There is no other option.
        President Bush. That's the two-question limit. Thank you all for
    coming.
        Q. Mr. President----
        President Bush. Our food is getting cold. The Prime Minister is
    hungry, and so am I.
        Mr. Prime Minister, thank you.
        Prime Minister Vajpayee. And the dividing line between hunger and
    anger----

    [[Page 1369]]

    Visit to India

        Q. When are you going to India?
        President Bush. As soon as possible, I am going to India.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:35 a.m. in the Cross Hall at the White
    House. A reporter referred to Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian
    Authority and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saud al-Faysal al Saud of
    Saudi Arabia.