    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [July 5, 2002]
    [Pages 1177-1178]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Videotaped Remarks to the Vilnius Ten Group of Nations
     July 5, 2002

        I'm honored to send greetings to the leaders of the Vilnius Ten
    group of nations aspiring to join the NATO Alliance. I want to thank
    Prime Minister Berzins and President
    Freiberga for hosting this important
    event in the great city of Riga. I'm also pleased that Senator Trent
    Lott and some of his colleagues were able to visit with you today. The
    U.S. Senate has a critical role to play in ratifying any expansion of
    NATO, and I appreciate my friend Senator Lott's
    leadership on these vital issues.
        Our nations share a common vision of a new Europe, where free
    European states are united with each other and with the United States
    through cooperation, partnership, and alliance. We seek a new Europe
    that has buried its historic tensions and is prepared to meet global
    challenges beyond Europe's borders. America will continue to work arm in
    arm with Europe on fulfilling this vision.
        At the Prague Summit later this year, we can take a major step by
    enlarging NATO to include all of Europe's democracies that are ready to
    share in NATO's responsibilities. Since you first met in Vilnius over 2
    years ago, your countries have made real progress on the essential
    reforms necessary for NATO membership. Work continues, as it must, to
    prepare your nations to make the greatest possible contributions to the
    new Europe we are building.
        Today, our nations face another historic challenge: to defeat the
    forces of global

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    terror. The attacks of September the 11th took place in the United
    States, but their target was freedom, itself. All of Europe and freedom-
    loving nations everywhere are threatened by these forces of chaos and
    hatred.
        NATO has risen to the challenge, declaring that an attack on one of
    its members is an attack on all. And NATO nations have made valuable
    contributions to the war on terror in Afghanistan and elsewhere. NATO
    must prepare itself to fight and defeat terror and the other threats to
    freedom that we face together. And new members will help improve NATO's
    capabilities.
        The Prague Summit will mark the beginning of a new era in Europe and
    in trans-Atlantic relations, defined by greater security and greater
    prosperity and greater freedom. We will see the great alliance of
    liberty grow and prepare to fulfill its old mission in a new era. And I
    am determined to succeed and determined that our children will record
    this year as a momentous turning point in their history.
        I wish you success at your meeting. I have met most of you, and I
    look forward to seeing my good friend Aleksander in a few weeks here in Washington. We have a great
    opportunity ahead of us. The hopes and prayers of the American people
    are with you.
        Thank you all very much.

    Note: The President's remarks were videotaped at approximately 3 p.m. on
    June 28 in the Blue Room at the White House, for later transmission to
    the meeting in Riga, Latvia. The transcript was released by the Office
    of the Press Secretary on July 5. In his remarks, the President referred
    to Prime Minister Andris Berzins and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga of
    Latvia; and President Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland. A tape was not
    available for verification of the content of these remarks.