[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[October 14, 2001]
[Page 1238]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters on Returning From Camp David, Maryland
October 14, 2001

Taliban

    Q. Mr. President, there's a new offer from the Taliban to turn over 
bin Laden. What's your response to that, sir?
    The President. Turn him over. Turn him 
over; turn his cohorts over; turn any hostages they hold over; destroy 
all the terrorist camps. There's no need to negotiate. There's no 
discussions. I told them exactly what they need to do. And there's no 
need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty. Turn him over. 
If they want us to stop our military operations, they've just got to 
meet my conditions. Now, when I said no negotiation, I meant no 
negotiation.
    Q. You reject his offer?
    The President. I don't know what the offer is. All they've got to do 
is turn him over, and his colleagues and the 
stocks he hides, as well as destroy his camps, and the innocent people 
being held hostage in Afghanistan.
    Q. They want you to stop the bombing and see evidence.
    The President. There's no negotiation--they must have not heard--
there's no negotiation. This is nonnegotiable. These people, if they're 
interested in us stopping our military operations--we will do so if they 
meet the conditions that I outlined in my speech to the United States 
Congress. It's as simple as that. There's nothing to negotiate about. 
They're harboring a terrorist, and they need to turn him over--and not only turn him over, turn the Al Qaida 
organization over, destroy all the terrorist camps--actually, we're 
doing a pretty good job of that right now--and release the hostages they 
hold. That's all they've got to do, but there is no negotiation, period.

Note: The exchange began at approximately noon on the South Lawn at the 
White House. In his remarks, the President referred to Usama bin Laden, 
leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization. A tape was not available 
for verification of the content of this exchange.